Creative 1994
Wacom
Wacom strikes another blow for freedom
FROM THE PRINTED PAGEOriginal ad copy
OCR transcription from the archived page. Scanning and reading-order errors may remain.
WACOM STRIKES ANOTHER BLOW FOR FREEDOM GRAPHIC ART REVOLUTION! In 1987, Wacom revolutionized graphics arts with the introduction of the only pressure-sensitive, cordless, batteryless, stylus digitizer. It allowed artists to work on the computer in the same natural way they worked for centuries. Now Wacom discovers new territory, reinventing and improving our technology, finding even more power and more functionality. Introducing The UD Series Graphics Tablets. At Wacom, we envisioned a revolutionary new tool, engineered from the ground up to be more powerful, more ergonomic, more natural and even more durable. The UD Series tablets are the first to allow two-handed input. Professionals will gain speed and efficiency as they use both stylus and cursor on the tablet simultaneously. The UD Series UltraPen is the lightest, thinnest and most responsive available. The 4.8 meters per second tracking speed, means no delays even with the fastest CPU. The unique UltraPen technology emulates the feel of pen on paper and the new programmable side switch adds to your productivity. The UD Series software control allows for a tremendous variety of settings not previously available, settings that can be extended and personalized such as custom pressure feel, expert scaling, and macro support. WELCOME TO THE SECOND REVOLUTION • Two-handed input with cursor and pen simultaneously. • Highest data rate at the fastest tracking speed. • UltraPen is the lightest, thinnest, most responsive available. • Expert scaling options for demanding professionals. • Personalized pen feel. Rarely has one peripheral captured the attention and support of so many graphic artists and software developers. The first revolution was pressure sensitivity. Now, the second revolution is two-handed input. Wacom tablets are the workhorses of the revolution, propelling artists to the farthest reaches of expression. Find out more by calling 1-800-922-6613 today. WACOM. Putting technology in its place.™ Wacom Technology, Corp. 501 S.E. Columbia Shores Blvd. #300, Vancouver, WA 98661. Phone: 206-750-8882. Fax: 206-750-8924. ©1993 Wacom Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
Commentary
The raised fist first makes me expect a political poster. Then I see the broken shackle, the word “FREEDOM,” and three pale drawing tablets arranged like tools awaiting a hand. Wacom borrows the language of liberation for a very specific workplace irritation: an artist’s natural movements feel constrained by computer input. The colored marks at the lower right complete the argument. The machine is shown, but the trace of the hand gets the last word.
The ad calls this a “second revolution.” Its first, pressure sensitivity, is presented as already achieved; the new one is simultaneous use of stylus and cursor. The yellow box turns that claim into a list a working artist can evaluate: two-handed input, tracking speed, scaling, and personalized pen feel. The prose also gives a number, 4.8 meters per second, though the scan offers no independent test of the claim. A toll-free number and postal address finish the page as a product pitch to professionals, not merely a manifesto. The many small application icons suggest compatibility and a software ecosystem, but the scan does not identify every icon clearly enough to name them.
The ad belongs to a moment when moving art onto a computer still required an explicit promise that the hand would survive the transition. Current pen tablets make that concern familiar in a different way: sensitivity and ergonomic control are expected features, while the work may travel through several screens, apps, and devices. Wacom’s appeal to natural motion has lasted longer than the featured UD hardware.
For a young copywriter, the contrast between “freedom” and the exact phrase “two-handed input” is instructive. The headline supplies an emotional destination; the feature phrase explains how the tool might get there. “Second revolution” also gives an upgrade a plot, with a past achievement and a next chapter. Use the large claim to orient the reader, then let the specifications answer the obvious question of what actually changed.
Wacom’s company history dates its founding to 1983. It still sells pen tablets and pen displays, alongside pen technology used in other devices.
The old claim that digital drawing should feel responsive to the artist remains central. The specific battle against corded, battery-dependent, single-hand input belongs to this generation of hardware. The ad shows how Wacom made the physical relationship between person and computer the product story.