Computer.com

Computer.com was a short-lived dot-com company founded in 1999. After spending half of its $7 million in venture capital on ads during Super Bowl XXXIV, it was sold to Office Depot in 2000.[1] It is significant as a case study for business historians and others interested in the dot-com bubble.

History

Prior to 1999, the domain computer.com was owned by Gary Kremen, who sold it for $500,000.[2][3] In 1999, Mike Ford and Mike Zappolin founded Computer.com as a general-purpose website to teach people about various aspects of computing.[1] After raising $7 million in venture capital,[note 1] Computer.com partnered with an advertising agency to create three Super Bowl advertisements six weeks before the game started.[1] Initially, they were dismayed, as due to their late entry, their time slot was located at the end of the game, at the two-minute warning. However, thanks to the closely contested game, the advertisement became one of the highest-rated of all time.[1]

After Super Bowl XXXIV, the company secured "an additional $2 million in a second round of funding."[4] In late 2000, the company was sold to Office Depot.

Operation

It is unclear whether Computer.com ever turned a profit or delivered any kind of actual service to consumers.

Notes

  1. ↑ CNet.com gives the company's initial capital as $5.8 million.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Shroeder, Charlie. "The Dot-Com Super Bowl", Weekend America, 2 February 2008. Accessed February 26 2014.
  2. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/19990801000000*/http://computer.com
  3. ↑ http://www.sexdotcom.com/story/people/kremen
  4. ↑ Sandoval, Greg. "Start-up with pricey Super Bowl ad goes bust", Cnet.com\\, 14 June 2000. Accessed February 28 2014.

See also

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