Will Dilbert…Do It? If DILBERT AND THE THE WAY OF THE WEASEL Becomes a Bestseller, Scott Adams Vows That Dilbert Will Be Rewarded With Romantic Completion

Business Wire, Nov 25, 2002

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 25, 2002

Dilbert, the cartoon creation of business humorist Scott Adams, has been an international phenomenon for over a decade. Yet while other equally renowned figures like Mick Jagger, Madonna, or certain former U.S. Presidents have managed to translate their fame into spectacular romantic luck, Dilbert has been an utter failure with the ladies.

But now, Dilbert readers will get to decide whether Dilbert's luck will change. "If my new hardcover book, DILBERT AND THE WAY OF THE WEASEL, makes it to the top five of The New York Times bestseller list, then I'll arrange for Dilbert to reach the promised land," writes Adams in a recent e-mail newsletter to over 600,000 Dilbert fans. "That's right: I'm willing to sacrifice my artistic integrity, and sell Dilbert's body, to get the job done. It's called 'marketing,' and no one said it would be pretty."

"It's ironically weaselish," admits Adams, who encourages anyone who wants Dilbert to reach the ultimate romantic height to purchase DILBERT AND THE WAY OF THE WEASEL during the next two weeks in order for the book to hit the list before the end of 2002. The book is a true-to-life guide to surviving in today's weasel business climate - where everyone operates in that huge gray area between good ethical behavior and outright criminality - like we're doing right now.

As far as whom the lucky object of Dilbert's desire is likely to be, Adams offers these details: "She will be absurdly successful, smart, and attractive -- but lonely because men are too intimidated to ask her out. And she'll be in the market for a house-husband."

In early 2003, if the Weasel book makes it to the top five of The New York Times bestseller list, Adams will signal that Dilbert got his reward in the comic strip by drawing Dilbert with a flattened necktie for one day in early 2003. Wink, wink.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Scott Adams is the creator of DILBERT, the comic strip that now appears in more than 2,000 newspapers, sixty-five countries, and twenty-two languages. His books, The Dilbert Principle, Dogbert's Top Secret Management Handbook, The Joy Of Work, and The Dilbert Future, were all New York Times bestsellers.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

TITLE:              DILBERT AND THE WAY OF THE WEASEL
AUTHOR:             Scott Adams
ISBN#:              0-06-051805-7
PRICE:              $24.95
PUBLICATION DATE:   November 1, 2002

                    Also Available from HarperAudio
                 Cassette: ISBN 0-06-0518235 - $18.95
                    CD: ISBN 0-06-0518243 - $21.95

DILBERT is the most photocopied, pinned-up, downloaded, faxed and e-mailed comic strip in the world. Many readers, particularly those employed at large corporations, are convinced that Adams works at their companies since he conveys corporate inanities so perfectly in his comic strip. Dilbert appears in 2,000 papers in 65 countries and 19 languages, and on the Web at www.dilbert.com, which receives over 1.4 million unique visitors per month. More than 20 million Dilbert books and calendars have been sold to date. Adams' latest Dilbert comic strip reprint book, What Do You Call A Sociopath In A Cubicle? A Co-Worker is set for release this fall.

DILBERT is licensed and syndicated by United Media. United Media (UM) is a worldwide licensing and syndication company that focuses on building brand equity around a wide range of creative content. United Media is an E.W. Scripps Company.