[morpho4444]

I think I just saw a new concept for a commercial that may be taken.

I was in a unusual marketing meeting with this guy who was an expert in marketing in Canada, he came up with this weird commercial within a sort of script. He said his company was working with RIM to produce it as a part of a big marketing campaign.

The commercial was described as passive aggressive. The script said that the music in the background was Amy Winehouse song "Back to Black" and it was about people shown in several areas of their common life, doctors, lawyers, business men, computer freaks and other people all ditching their iPhones and Androids and going "back to BLACKberry"

It was pretty obvious that the context was about BB10 and they were planning to show it as replacement of their current device doing something that BB was now capable of doing for a specific task they always do on their normal lives or in their jobs.

Sorry for my poor english... This is all I got.

[anthogag]

I don't think people are turned-off by aggressive marketing

Can't wait to see these commercials

[BB10FTW]

I agree ACDC would have been great but like you said it could cause issues and not to mention what the tone of the commercial is. Could be more of a formal commercial as most BlackBerry commercials are.

[mjs416]

One must ask, "What is RIM drawing upon here?" Are they hoping users don't associate Blackberrys with burned out dead addicts? My check goes in the Yes column. I just think Amy Winehouse is a bad choice. Building on a dead artist doesn't sound like a decision based in wisdom. Definetly not a "friendly" image, at least, not to me. I don't see Amy as desirable in any sense at all, and certainly not reletive to my Bold at all.

But then, I'm a graphic artist, not a marketing engineer.

Ever see any commercials with Doors music? A Nirvana tune? Some old grateful dead music in the background of a commercial? If/when I heard any of those tunes in a commercial (including Whinehouse) - my first thought wasnt "Why are they using Doors music - Morrison was a washed up dead addict". My first thoughts were if the music flowed well with the idea of the commercial.

I think people tend to disassociate the commercial music with the artist - I know I do. Look at Chryslers newest commercials - they use music from eminem because he's from detriot - not because is he one of the most mentally unstable, addicted, foulest mouthed and most bigoted musicians out there (I like his music btw).

[EchoTango]

When you're seen such poor marketing efforts in the past from RIM, almost anything would be an improvement.

[louzer]

It's more about the sound, rhythm, and mood of the music than the actual artist. If they don't did use that song, you'd be amazed how many people recognize the tune but don't know who it is. I don't recall a single complaint about the Flash ad featuring a song sung by Freddie Mercury. People complained about the choice to promote the PlayBook based on Flash, but if that had turned out to be a good idea, then the song fit the campaign.

[anthogag]

I personally wouldn't choose a recently-in-the-news dead artist or a song that's been 'played to death'

It's too soon to use Amy Whinehouse...it seems like she died only a handful of months ago

I think the most boring event of 2011 was Apple's announcement they have The Beatles on iTunes

[Rootbrian]

Always great to see something new come up from research in motion. Can't wait to see that commercial. (I only watch commercials ONCE, barely watch any television as it is.)

[Lead_Express]

Whatever the concept, it can't be any less relevant to BlackBerry phones than glow-in-the-dark bikes.

[T�nis]

Love the night bikes; I enjoy that commercial on a regular basis. I have no love for Winehouse and hope they don't use that. I see nothing wrong with a variety of people ditching iPhones and Android devices, but I think a better approach would be to ignore those who left and came back. Why focus on the prodigals? That's why the night bikes are so cool; the guys are just cool. They've been with BlackBerry all along and never dabbled in the inferior platforms.

[mithrazor]

I'm certainly not turned ON by Amy. AC/DC would work better in this situation, but they have probably been around too long. Considering Amy is now gone and RIM would air the Amy spot longer than they could an AC/DC shot before being threatened with a law suit, I see the logic. Newer artist angle most likely.

Not everyone is into the hard guitars of rock music. Plus the ACDC song doesn't really set a proper atmosphere for what they're marketing.

[mrbkkt1]

Meh,I think rim should avoid any possible relevance between "dead" and blackberry.
They need to focus on security, battery life, ease of messaging.... And sticking qnx 2.0 on a tablet phone.

[phoreoneone]

Oooo that sounds soo cool

I enjoy these type of commercials.

Common who don't ant like those "samsunged" commercials

[Thunderbuck]

Meh,I think rim should avoid any possible relevance between "dead" and blackberry.
They need to focus on security, battery life, ease of messaging.... And sticking qnx 2.0 on a tablet phone.

Yeah, I actually love "Back to Black", but it's kind of a dark song; I have no issue with edgy marketing, and in fact RIM is in a position where they need to take some creative chances, but this doesn't sound like a good one.

AC/DC's "Back in Black" would be an awesome idea, though... that commercial practically writes itself.

And as you say, stress security, etc... Don't stress the competition's weaknesses. Going negative on the opposition should be an absolute last resort.

[VanCity778]

Anything will be better than hearing that same dude on every Apple commercial.

I swear if i hear "has never felt quite like this" ever again, I'm going to snap.

[kishanthj]

I think the most creative commercial was done by Samsung for the galaxy 2. People standing in line with iphones for the next iphone and than theybsee people with the galaxy and start going crazy over it. Good idea and makes a point.

Here is the link... [YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVkH9Hgvda4[/YT]

[kraski]

I'm certainly not turned ON by Amy. AC/DC would work better in this situation, but they have probably been around too long. Considering Amy is now gone and RIM would air the Amy spot longer than they could an AC/DC shot before being threatened with a law suit, I see the logic. Newer artist angle most likely.

It could very well be that they couldn't get permission to use the AC/DC version. Unlike singers doing covers of someone else's song, commercial use requires a contract. AC/DC's handlers probably asked to much money compared to Any;'s estate. Unless the guys pitching this ad to RIM are really stupid, there's a contract in place so they don't get sued and RIM's lawyers would be bright enough to make sure RIM was covered.

[morpho4444]

Well I finally got to hear the song... I love the mood and I can relate some of the tones with the classic tambourine you hear on the playbook initial video they showed back in DEVCON AMRICAS 2010. I think it impacts more than AC/DC. It is powerful and it makes you feel the winds of change are coming..

[Thunderbuck]

I think the most creative commercial was done by Samsung for the galaxy 2. People standing in line with iphones for the next iphone and than theybsee people with the galaxy and start going crazy over it. Good idea and makes a point.

Here is the link...

This ad got some attention, but there's some doubt at how successful it was overall. It's an explicit swipe not at the iPhone, or Apple, but at their users.

Insulting your potential buyers is a very questionable strategy.