Digital Theater Systems plans to supplement its distribution with a manufacturer’s rep program targeted to independent hardware specialists, said David Del Grosso, DTS Consumer Products marketing director.
The program includes DTS-encoded CDs, DVDs and laserdiscs.
DTS will continue to sell its software through Image Entertainment, whose distribution strength is in video stores and music chains. But among specialty hardware channels, “you need people in the field” rather than telemarketers, Del Grosso said. “Our reps will be visiting retailers who haven’t brought in DTS software.”
DTS reps will deliver software, literature, display racks, and education on recommended demos and promotional tie-ins. Pricing will be identical to Image’s.
DTS has signed on its first six reps, whose territories consists of Colorado, Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Missouri and Virginia. The company will hire additional reps “as quickly as possible.”
By June, DTS expects 102 DTS-encoded CDs to be available and 32 DVDs, up from a current 20 DVD titles available from Universal, Image, DVD Ltd., and for music videos, Rykodisc. Additional movie studios will announce their DTS plans “soon,” said Del Grosso.
Because of unexpected demand, he claimed, every DTS DVD movie title has been on allocation since the audio format was launched on DVD late last year. The latest releases are Apollo 13, 12 Monkeys, The Nutty Professor and The Flintstones.
