Smart Site for AST

Irvine-based AST Research Inc. has gotten a lot out of its partnership with Samsung Electronics Co., including a platoon of new executives, about half a billion dollars in financial support, and front row seats for one of the biggest spectacles at Comdex last week.

The two companies’ booths were next to each at the show, which gave AST employees an up-close view of a hugely successful Samsung publicity stunt: hiring models to carry Samsung products while putting on fashion shows on the Comdex showroom floor.

“Good-looking girls carrying hard disk drives,” said one AST employee observing the scene. “It’s a great combination!”

To be fair, there were male models too. Every hour, the thumping music would start, and models in designer clothes would burst onto a runway bisecting the Samsung booth. (At Comdex, booths can be as big as a basketball court.)

The pouty-faced female models wore Samsung notebook computers strapped to their backs. The smirking men carried Samsung computer screens like waiters carrying platters of food. The spectators--and there were throngs of them--giggled like giddy schoolchildren.

The fashion shows were preceded by something even more ridiculous, a troupe of dancing roller-skaters wearing black stretch pants and lip-syncing to the Samsung theme song. “Simply Samsung! Just plug in and play! Bringing you value in every way! La la la la!”

Or something like that.