Developing a computer product that can compete in the saturated desktop PC arena is never easy. Price aside, the process of purchasing, set-up, and customer support are all key considerations for a consumer. To companies serious about doing business with consumers, these concerns sound very familiar. With increasing competitive and economic pressures, including over-capacity, price competition, and product sameness, Acer America set out to differentiate itself by introducing a revolutionary new product line. This initiative, however, would have to go beyond the hardware: returned merchandise due to lack of consumer knowledge in dealing with the Windows environment end up cutting into hardware manufacturers' already-low margins.

A sale made is never guaranteed, but can be assured, if a key need is met: ease of use. With the objective to also revolutionize the software that came bundled with the bold new hardware, Acer Computer asked Medius IV to develop an application that is unlike any other in the marketplace.

Our strategy development team set out by identifying key attributes of the new software application: it had to be useful, customizable, easy to use, and fun to work with. The four key principles in mind, our research team embarked on analyzing the competitive landscape. Our team's research concluded that the success of the product lie in building upon the TV-like appearance of the new hardware design, an appliance very familiar to the target audience.

With the singular purpose of delivering a consistent and rewarding customer experience, our creative and engineering teams simplified the desktop organization, creating an application that employed a single-click gateway to all of the computer system's applications, games and utilities. Usable by children and adults alike, the customizable interface instantly tailored the environment with four distinct graphical styles — accomplished with one key stroke and without the need for exiting open applications. Multimedia capable and intuitive, this desktop application is as rich as Interactive TV applications of today, only without all the commercials.

Signaling the end of the putty-colored bland PC of old, Acer Computer's brand status as a premium hardware company was confirmed. A post-release focus group rated this bold new application as very easy and fun to use, while being personal and functional, confirming a yet unprecedented market share grab in the history of Acer Computer. This was reaffirmed by the press and media recognition of the popular Aspire product line, including numerous awards received by national publications and organizations. In addition to the largest increase in product sales to date for their North American market, Acer Computer reduced their customer returns to the lowest numbers ever — making the end result truly a remarkable one.