1. CrackBerryTorch9800's Avatar
    One of the things that Blackberry users complain about most is either A) Lack of Advertising or B) Marketing that doesn't make any sense. I think with the hiring of a new CMO we all thought that the old thinking would leave with Jim. It seems it hasn't which is extremely disappointing.

    As many know the 4G LTE Playbook will be released on the 9th to Canadian carriers. It in many sense will be what the original playbook should have been at launch. The problem that I have found is that there is no advertising or marketing. Bell, Rogers and Telus have nothing to indicate that the Playbook is coming, pricing or to generate any interest. While RIM has some information on the new tablet, you have to go searching for it. There is no place to purchase before the release date and other then tech junkies I think 0 consumers know its coming.

    The questions are:

    - Why no advertising to give consumers the heads up that its coming or even spark some interest?
    - Why no where to have pre-sales and create headlines for RIM (like Nexus 7)
    - Why no "coming soon" on carrier websites to inform users and lookers that this is coming soon?

    It seems that RIM has dropped that ball on this one. While I like that they have gone bare bones in terms of manufacturing (32 GB only) the lack of marketing wont help them in the department where they are already viewed as weak (tablet market).

    Just curious as to what people think a successful launch quarter will be for RIM? 500,000 units? 700,000? After a year if they haven't sold the same number as the original is that a failure? What does the Crackberry community feel is a good number to consider the second playbook a success?
    08-07-12 07:48 PM
  2. James Nieves's Avatar
    omfg really?

    Frank has said MANY times
    HIS JOB/FOCUS IS THE SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF BB10
    what does the LTE Playbook have to do with BB10?
    Right now nothing. Why waste money and effort trying to sel a product the world has already deemed a bust?

    The LTE Playbook is simply their way to testing their antennas and other components, like QNX. That and to have a tablet in the market these next two quarters as tablet sales continue to increase.
    08-07-12 07:57 PM
  3. dbmalloy's Avatar
    As advertising for BB7/Playbook would be a big waste of Money.... To what end.... RIM's last hope is BB10 and it is all the eggs in one basket concept..... As for the carriers.... what is there to advertise or promote..... BB7...... BB10 does not even have finished software or hardware finalized.... thus no real poduct......so I am usure of the point the OP is making unless it is to sink good money after bad.....
    08-07-12 08:11 PM
  4. KidCaboose's Avatar
    I wonder how effective marketing could possibly be for RIM at the moment. You need money to market, and lots of it if you don't want to get drowned out by iNoise. I imagine that anyone who doesn't know that the new PlayBook is coming, which is likely the majority, would see the ad, and be reminded that RIM is dead. Maybe what RIM is banking on is the die-hard minority, those few who don't need advertising, who will provide what I think is the most effective marketing, word of mouth. People won't see the new PlayBook in a commercials with heavy shadows of doubt in their mind. They'll see the new PlayBook in their friend's hands, and then in their own hands (for as much time as their friend can part from it). They'll have their friend showcasing it hands on to them. And maybe most importantly at the moment, they'll have their friend defining what a tablet is, and what it's for.

    I don't know that many people with any kind of tablet at the moment, and from what they've told me, it's because they don't know why they'd need one, they don't know what it replaces. That's where I come in. That's how I was sold on my PlayBook, and that's how I in turn sold three more.
    08-07-12 08:12 PM
  5. nextcity's Avatar
    I build cities for a living, and know little about marketing and advertising, but it was nearly impossible NOT to notice how aggressively and successfully Google marketed the Nexus 7. RIM's marketing and sales team should follow their model.
    08-07-12 08:19 PM
  6. James Nieves's Avatar
    I build cities for a living, and know little about marketing and advertising, but it was nearly impossible NOT to notice how aggressively and successfully Google marketed the Nexus 7. RIM's marketing and sales team should follow their model.
    Google owns most the add space on the internet a la adsense, and with deeper pockets than RIM they can push aggressively. RIM needs to be smart with it's money and put it where it can make the biggest collective statement
    08-07-12 08:40 PM
  7. _BB10_'s Avatar
    Frank has said multiple times that the initial and short term marketing strategy will be to leverage us as BlackBerry fanatics.

    I think a grass roots/word of mouth campaign is a good idea and is obviously beneficial to the company from a money conserving perspective.

    Also, and most importantly, RIM needs to stay out of the US media for a while. Right now, no news is good news. RIM could find the cure for cancer and the media would somehow find a way to rip them for it. The only way the media and financial analysts will ever get back on their side is to release a flawless product that blows away the world. And I think BB10 can be that product, but execution is going to be critical.
    08-07-12 08:43 PM
  8. smartie88's Avatar
    The most complain is not where is marketing, it is where is product
    CairnsRock and JeepBB like this.
    08-07-12 08:43 PM
  9. tonyrenier's Avatar
    One of the things that Blackberry users complain about most is either A) Lack of Advertising or B) Marketing that doesn't make any sense. I think with the hiring of a new CMO we all thought that the old thinking would leave with Jim. It seems it hasn't which is extremely disappointing.

    As many know the 4G LTE Playbook will be released on the 9th to Canadian carriers. It in many sense will be what the original playbook should have been at launch. The problem that I have found is that there is no advertising or marketing. Bell, Rogers and Telus have nothing to indicate that the Playbook is coming, pricing or to generate any interest. While RIM has some information on the new tablet, you have to go searching for it. There is no place to purchase before the release date and other then tech junkies I think 0 consumers know its coming.

    The questions are:

    - Why no advertising to give consumers the heads up that its coming or even spark some interest?
    - Why no where to have pre-sales and create headlines for RIM (like Nexus 7)
    - Why no "coming soon" on carrier websites to inform users and lookers that this is coming soon?

    It seems that RIM has dropped that ball on this one. While I like that they have gone bare bones in terms of manufacturing (32 GB only) the lack of marketing wont help them in the department where they are already viewed as weak (tablet market).

    Just curious as to what people think a successful launch quarter will be for RIM? 500,000 units? 700,000? After a year if they haven't sold the same number as the original is that a failure? What does the Crackberry community feel is a good number to consider the second playbook a success?
    I couldn't agree more! Some of the comments I see about RIM make me think that the author hasn't touched a BlackBerry since the pagers. I really think they should be taking pre-orders directly at RIM, if the numbers are good shout it to the rafters. If not then "shut up". This goes for BB10 handsets as well.
    Why do the users have to tell them how to sell their products? I almost bought a 9930 Bold at Best Buy the other day, but I want a BB 10 Bold.
    I'd be in line with my check!
    08-07-12 09:29 PM
  10. dave1701's Avatar
    Yes, they should market how they broke their tablet with their latest update and won't admit it.
    08-07-12 10:33 PM
  11. varunsain's Avatar
    Yes, they should market how they broke their tablet with their latest update and won't admit it.
    op, where is the love?

    @dave1701 i'm assuming your resume lists all of your in-capabilities rather than your successes..

    if they didn't admit it.. how did you get to know it was broke?
    08-08-12 02:02 AM
  12. tonyrenier's Avatar
    Yes, they should market how they broke their tablet with their latest update and won't admit it.
    Mine works just fine with the update. Possibly boots a bit faster, not sure. But certainly no problems.
    08-08-12 10:03 AM
  13. nightspark's Avatar
    Agree. One reason why Apple is so successful is because of all the Ad's they spam during prime time tv and sporting events. Marketing is key and has to be done sooner rather than later.
    08-08-12 01:19 PM
  14. Angus_CB's Avatar
    When RIM doesn't bother to market something like the 4G LTE Playbook it just looks like they expect it to fail so why bother. That may not be their plan but saying RIM isn't marketing it because they are focused on BB10 doesn't make much sense. If that is the case why release a new tablet at all?
    FF22 likes this.
    08-08-12 03:19 PM
  15. mandony's Avatar
    Op, I don't know where you are, here in New York there have been a steady number of Promo Blackberry Playbook Experience events. Several times a week Blackberry Playbook FULL page ads are in the New York Times.
    .
    .
    .
    08-08-12 06:46 PM
  16. varunsain's Avatar
    At my place, all retailers willingly promote the PlayBook.. They love the pricing of the tab and what it has to offer, plus it comes with a trusted 'BlackBerry' label. They do all the promotion themselves alongwith RIM contributing once in a while and at most times behind the scenes.

    Advertisements cost money. When someone has enough money to blow, you can see them doing everything..

    And what exactly do you want RIM to advertise? The suspense that builds on to BB10?

    OS7 is being advertised everywhere, they are targeting retailers and investing their money on different forms of advertisement, just not the same as Apple.

    Google have very few advertisements, it's more so a Samsung relativity..

    Lastly, Apple does not intend to advertise, it's more of Brainwashing going on.. If you notice the last series of their advertisements, 'Siri-Based with celebrities'.. It's more about celebrities acting funny and doing random things.. showing their personalities.. their choices and talking to Siri as a friend-like person. It speaks very little about their phones, the capability of the phone and the features. It's only trying to tell the customer that 'if you are a person like one of our selected celebrity, you got to do stuff like this to be more like them'.. Yes, it's brainwashing when you are enforcing a thought process rather than marketing the features of your product and let consumers make a relative choice.

    I appreciate RIM being honest and humble in their approach towards addressing the market they wish to cater. They have made it very clear time and again that each customer is an individual with varying needs and choices. Their product needs to be an extension of the user and trying to showcase each and everyone customers' needs is not possible, financially and physically. So RIM has taken the 'Micro' approach towards advertising by showcasing case studies, achievements of BlackBerry users through RIM products and their constant contribution towards the global awareness.

    There are many forms of advertisement, in short, anything bringing in some publicity, just not one type which Apple enforces.
    08-09-12 01:03 AM
  17. Angus_CB's Avatar
    ...

    There are many forms of advertisement, in short, anything bringing in some publicity, just not one type which Apple enforces.
    True, and all I ever see in the media related to RIM is how bad they are doing.
    I would think RIM would like to inform the world of their newest gadgets.

    The general public doesn't know or care about BB10 or any other operating system but they do understand and want new gadgets.
    08-09-12 04:42 AM
  18. varunsain's Avatar
    True, and all I ever see in the media related to RIM is how bad they are doing.
    I would think RIM would like to inform the world of their newest gadgets.

    The general public doesn't know or care about BB10 or any other operating system but they do understand and want new gadgets.
    The media you are referring to is just the 'Internet'.. If you Google something.. you will get all sorts of news.. If a specific site is bashing RIM.. it is pretty much obvious that they have a user database biased towards Apple and Android.. hence demeaning BlackBerry brings them joy..

    The news, corporate guys, investors and celebrities all have nothing but good things to say about BlackBerry.. and that is also being covered in the media.

    RIM does not have any new gadgets if you are talking sans OS7. The PlayBook 4G is just going to be launched and they have re-done their whole Internet presence to reflect it.. so Yes, they are taking things seriously..
    08-09-12 05:04 AM
  19. timmy t's Avatar
    omfg really?

    Frank has said MANY times
    HIS JOB/FOCUS IS THE SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF BB10
    what does the LTE Playbook have to do with BB10?
    Right now nothing. Why waste money and effort trying to sel a product the world has already deemed a bust?

    The LTE Playbook is simply their way to testing their antennas and other components, like QNX. That and to have a tablet in the market these next two quarters as tablet sales continue to increase.
    I disagree. They better have already tested their antennas and other components. They can test QNX on the original Playbooks. There should be some buzz about this new Playbook but I suspect they are gun shy.
    08-09-12 06:24 AM
  20. timmy t's Avatar
    So why, when I go to Bell.ca, Roger.com or FutureShop.ca, is there no mention of this device?
    Aren't they supposed to be selling it as of today?

    Edit: they are now on Roger's and Bell's websites. Did not check Futureshop.
    $350 on a 3 year plan. Not "on sale" yet so the price might come down.
    Last edited by timmy t; 08-09-12 at 07:56 AM.
    08-09-12 06:34 AM
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