[dandbj13]

Here are three PB commercials and one for the Torch.









I saw one of these the other day and thought I would do a bit of research. My take away from the commercial was that RIM was trying desperately to position the PB as an iPad, not something better or more useful, or for a different audience. Nowhere was there a demonstration of a single business or professional use. It was all games and movies. All of the commercials follow that same theme. Even the phone commercial featured Facebook and such.

In spite of RIM's talk about the first professional tablet, they seem to be positioning the PB as just another toy. But, if that is how it is marketed, and it is, then it loses to competitors with more and better first-party apps and value add functionality. Please explain this marketing strategy.

If it were me in charge, I would never let the PB be seen playing a movie, unless on a plain, and never, ever, playing a game. It would be seen in board rooms and airport lounges carried by people in business suits. The moment you show NFS, you just lost the war. I get the feeling RIM does not have any clear direction with regard to the product or its market.

Thoughts?

[Foreverup]

You are thinking way too much into this. On top of that who wants to watch a 30-45 second commercial featuring a pie chart.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[mandony]

The stock market is down.
Perhapz this is a good time to buy RIM stocks!

[Steve Rizla]

It's up to a business (IT department) to figure out how something is going to fit into their organization. Some commercial is never going to do the job.

If it can play 3D games it can pretty much handle any other type of application, someone just has to develop it. At the end of the day it's just a computer.

[dandbj13]

Interesting, but wrong. Apple somehow manages to include business and professional uses in their commercials. They show doctors, sales people, and CEOs how the iPad can fit into their workflow in almost every 30 second commercial. Tell me again why RIM is not marketing the world's first professional tablet to professionals?

[Foreverup]

Can you please post a link to those commercials because the only ones have ever seen on TV is kids dancing around.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[dandbj13]

Can you please post a link to those commercials because the only ones have ever seen on TV is kids dancing around.

Apple airs new iPad 2 commercial — We’ll Always | TiPb

All of those commercials found time for business, medical, artistic, or scientific applications. If RIM wanted to market the world's first professional tablet, I'd say it's already too late.

[sportline]

the name is playbook. it does lives up to its name.
these are all american/canadian apps, right? how about the rest of the world? europe? asia? maybe banners?

[Amy wineBerry]

OP, I think RIM is addressing your concerns with the latest commercial for the PlayBook. Crisis averted.

[togardergrosse]

I know that BestBuys sucks there on putting the PB on display, but saw one thread about BestBuy PB commercial for summer, it's actually funny
And yes, for TV commercial, it's better to target wider range of market such as non-business users. Because for enterprise and professionals they do a different approach.

[Kerms]

Well I think the HP commericals are even worse than RIMs and I didn't think that was possible.

Apple commericals do show a wider spread of different uses for their product. I think the Samsung Tab is probably second but I hate the music they used.

[dandbj13]

And yes, for TV commercial, it's better to target wider range of market such as non-business users. Because for enterprise and professionals they do a different approach.

This, and other opinions suggesting that TV commercials for business products must be geared towards consumers is just plain wrong. TV commercials feature many business focused products and services. Everything from financial services for the seriously rich, to multifunction business copiers and printers fill 30 second time slots all the time. You don't see a $5,000 printer being shown in someones living room printing pictures of the kids. You see them in offices where they belong.

Either the PB is a professional tool or a toy. RIM has clearly decided to position it as a toy, just like the iPad, only smaller. They don't even pretend it is useful for productivity in the way they present it. If it is a toy, it fails in the market to better toys. If it is a business tool, they can't figure out how to demonstrate that. If it is both, Again, they lose to Apple who actually does make a great business case in ads, on their website, and by independent reviewers in the business press.

[snowfree52]

Apple airs new iPad 2 commercial � We�ll Always | TiPb

All of those commercials found time for business, medical, artistic, or scientific applications. If RIM wanted to market the world's first professional tablet, I'd say it's already too late.

Those commercials almost make me want to sell my playbook and buy an ipad2. And I mean it