Wall Street Journal - "The thing we need to do the most is re-energize the Apple brand," said Jon Holtzman, Apple's director of world-wide brand marketing.

CUPERTINO, Calif. -- Apple Computer Inc., faced with the possibly impossible mission of reviving itself, is turning to "Mission Impossible" for help.

The Cupertino, Calif. computer maker is set to embark on a $15 million campaign to promote its involvement in the Hollywood movie of that name starring Tom Cruise. In the takeoff of the popular television series by Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures unit, Mr. Cruise and the other actors are filmed toting around Apple's PowerBook laptops. The film's U.S. debut is set for May 20.

Hoping to exploit that exposure, Apple is churning up a Hollywood-style publicity machine. The promotion will kick off Monday with television spots, featuring film clips intercut with PowerBook images and set to the "Mission Impossible" theme music.

Some Apple employees consider the outlay frivolous at a time when the company is struggling to recover from losses that totaled $740 million in the fiscal second quarter ended March 29. But Apple officials say the marketing is needed more than ever now.

"The thing we need to do the most is re-energize the Apple brand," said Jon Holtzman, Apple's director of world-wide brand marketing. "And you can't do that without spending money."