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CNN Sunday Morning

'Steve' Has Star Power

Aired February 03, 2002 - 07:58   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Can you spell celebrity? Even on a computer screen, Steve has star power. CNN's Jason Carroll caught up with the Dell guy, dude.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL: Who can forget that phrase? That stroke of the chin? Certainly not the people at Dell, who created Steve, the computer guy. He's now a character with cult status.

(on camera): Did you have any idea that the commercials would become what they have become?

BEN CURTIS, "STEVE," STAR POWER: Not at all. I mean, it's been -- it's total shock. I mean, I can't even -- it's still a mystery to me.

CARROLL: The premise simple, young guy gets people to buy and not just young people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he's terrific. I think he's the best thing since sliced bread.

CARROLL: Why is it so successful? It could be something in the pitchman's eyes or eyebrows, but mostly people just like the humor.

CURTIS: Sporting the warm polyester January here in New York.

CARROLL: And the guy who's cracking all the jokes. The guy's real name is Ben Curtis, a 21-year-old Tennessee native studying acting at New York University. He's so popular, it was tough to finish a Times Square photo shoot without someone shouting or running over to grab a little bit of Ben.

Dell says sales jumped after the half dozen spots started airing a year ago, but won't say by how much. And Dell says its recognition factor doubled. Remarkable, say industry observers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And there's nothing else going on right now that people are talking about like this in the advertising world.

CURTIS: We found an energy that a lot of people can appeal to. And if don't hate it, you can laugh at it. CARROLL: Dell hopes people keep on laughing and buying. Ben does, too. Not sure how long his character will last, but he plans on enjoying the perks along the way.

Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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