What is it with the consumer electronics makers of the world these days? First Apple started to play an arrogant tune in its "If you don't have an iPhone commercials", now BlackBerry kind of does the same.
"Amateur Hour is over", is what they told us in a ginormous banner ad on the New York Times online on May 6th. Are they serious? First, they are late to the party, as pretty much every other tablet maker putting out its me-too-product these days (Motorola, Dell, Samsung...), and then BBerry pees in the pool and complains that the water is dirty? What?
Because here is basically what they are saying: "Up until now (and by that they refer to Apples iPad, because all other tablet clones out there are late comers as well), everyone was playing in kinder-garden. Nothing serious has happened. Until now of course. Until we - BlackBerry, the makers of the mobile communication device for professionals - came up with our version of the tablet pc. The one for Professionals."
Which is kind of a joke if you look at the name they gave its product. They called it PLAYBOOK. That is f...... hilarous! I don't think they get the irony, the contradiction of their own message. Unless this is the PLAYbook for professional (not amateur) players? Nah... i don't think so.
Anyway, here is what I think they intended to do. They wanted to carry over the credibility they had gained in the professional business area with the BBerry into tablet pc territory. They just ended up choosing the wrong message. Something along the lines of GMC's 'We are professional grade' would have made much more sense. Why?
Apple's iPad was the first to the party, and pretty much owns the category. Their war chest with ad dollars is too much to overcome. You can't outspend them. Their communication is all centered around play, and a little work. They own that territory in the consumer's mind. What's left? The 'Pro' area of course!
"Watch out. The Pro's are coming", or something along those lines would make much more sense, and I haven't even really thought this through yet. Apple = play. BBerry = Pro. Everyone else? Look at their advertising. They are trying to communicate the same advantages as Apple. Doomed to fail if you ask me.
Now BBerry of course would have to rename the product. I doubt they will though.
MAD SCORE: -2
Great media buy. Wrong message. Wrong product name. Who approved all this?
No comments:
Post a Comment