[MrGlenn]

Telegram is doing what BBM should have immediately done after the Whatsapp sale.
They are capitalizing on the demand for a 'secure and private' messaging service. They have already been featured on my country's #1 news source, after hitting #1 in the Appstore. Again BBM is nowhere in sight, not even as a suggestion.

It is beyond me, that the people in charge of marketing BlackBerry are not immediately all over news like this. They do not even have to be right, or present facts, just put out a press release shouting "WE ARE NOW THE MOST SECURE AND FUNCTIONAL" and watch loads of people try your app. All they have to do is get the app trending after news like this hits, to gain much needed momentum.

They already have Canada, sure Maybe even the US and some Asian regions (legacy at least), but for the rest of the world, BBM is a stranger. And you do not talk to strangers. BBM desperately needs more media coverage, especially at crucial moments like the sale of the major competitor.

/rant.

[middbrew]

I agree that would have been the best thing to do.

[lmsilvam]

This is so true.
The speculations of tech media here in Latam barely mention BBM at all. All of them mention Telegram, a newcomer to the game, and the usual suspects: Line, Viber, even WeChat. Just a few take BBM seriously.
Now this is not only the "dirty war" we know goes on against BB, but also BB failing to sell themselves and their products as a worthy alternative IMHO.

[nemo7]

Tweet from Telegram:

To the good news. 500,000 people signed up for Telegram today.

I use it on WP and its great. Shame on You Blackberry to leave out WP!

Windows Blueberry

[nemo7]

Since Facebook bought WA lots of ppl are searching alternative Messenger. This was your last Chance BBM.

Windows Blueberry

[sixpacker]

The BB marketing department is great...at missing opportunities. Perhaps it's too cold for them to get into work?

I suspect they are a great lumbering beast working to rigid plans and schedules.
Nimble, agile, reactive they are not.
Also has to be said their act has got no better under Chen.

Posted via the Android CrackBerry App!

[gnirkatto]

Besides the marketing issue, I think it's the extremely cumbersome invitation process that makes so many iOS/Android users dislike BBM.
I sent BBM invitations to all my WA contacts over the last days to convert them to BBM after the FB/WA acquisition, and received alsmost no positive feedback...actually the few that agreed to connect with me were the ones that I guided through the invitation/acceptance process personally, while sitting with them. All others were just appalled and confused by receiving cryptic emails and having to walk throug a multitude of stages and steps until a connection was established.

I think if BB doesn't improve that VERY SOON (i.e. within the next 3 weeks, not more than that), then the next great opportunity to create significant impact on the messenger market will be gone - AGAIN! And BBM will not succeed.

This would be less frustrating, if it was not stated over and over and over and over and over again, since BBMX was released. SOmetimes I think that people at BB just focus on the wrong things. Who cares about channels, it's the INVITATION PROCESS and RELIABILITY AND STABILITY of the service that needs to be fixed and improved, with the very highest priority!

[LGBT BBM Channel]

sad but true

[Tre Lawrence]

To be fair to the PR folks, they are but a tool of management. In other words, they put out what they are given. PR folks won't get good copy and sit on it.

[MrGlenn]

Sure, I do not blame the PR for not grabbing these opportunities. I am sure there are some employees with great ideas.
I am disappointed they are not used well by the people in charge.

BlackBerry 10 signed.

[sixpacker]

They probably tried to call JC in California but his iPhone couldn't get signal.

Wonder how many times he's suffered the cold of Waterloo in the past few months.

Posted via the Android CrackBerry App!

[leejayh]

Agree, the sign up process is kludgy. I wish they would fix it


Posted via CB10

[TheScionicMan]

They probably tried to call JC in California but his iPhone couldn't get signal.

They should have DMed him on MySpace...

[AbAll87]

I was in a good mood today till my friend sent me the link.. im always disappointed with bb, happiness last one day,
Z10 is coming out in January, oh nope its in 3 months in the US,
bbm is coming out in the summer, how about the last day? Error error, we have to push it again...
all I do is brag about BlackBerry but can they back me up? Jeez

Posted via CB10

[gnirkatto]

Besides the marketing issue, I think it's the extremely cumbersome invitation process that makes so many iOS/Android users dislike BBM.
I sent BBM invitations to all my WA contacts over the last days to convert them to BBM after the FB/WA acquisition, and received alsmost no positive feedback...actually the few that agreed to connect with me were the ones that I guided through the invitation/acceptance process personally, while sitting with them. All others were just appalled and confused by receiving cryptic emails and having to walk throug a multitude of stages and steps until a connection was established.

I think if BB doesn't improve that VERY SOON (i.e. within the next 3 weeks, not more than that), then the next great opportunity to create significant impact on the messenger market will be gone - AGAIN! And BBM will not succeed.

This would be less frustrating, if it was not stated over and over and over and over and over again, since BBMX was released. SOmetimes I think that people at BB just focus on the wrong things. Who cares about channels, it's the INVITATION PROCESS and RELIABILITY AND STABILITY of the service that needs to be fixed and improved, with the very highest priority!

And now, on top of all that, we are getting a set of funny little manikins called stickers, instead of an improved and streamlined invitation process etc.
I am at loss for words.

[MrGlenn]

The whole world is worried that WA is going to cost more or adopt advertisements. So it is kind of nice to see BBM will trying to adopt a different kind of payment system.

If an option like stickers will make BBM financially sound, maybe even create some more financial leeway, it sure feels like a part of 'stability' to me.

BlackBerry 10 signed.

[gnirkatto]

The whole world is worried that WA is going to cost more or adopt advertisements. So it is kind of nice to see BBM will trying to adopt a different kind of payment system.

If an option like stickers will make BBM financially sound, maybe even create some more financial leeway, it sure feels like a part of 'stability' to me.

BlackBerry 10 signed.

Fully agree. But only after having fixed these issues that keep people away from BBM in the first place.

[wilkto]

Friends of mine in the UK were told that blackberry and bbm is dead so many people have moved from blackberry to iPhone including my friends.

Posted via CB10

[wollumx]

if the going gets tough, the tough get rough!
(the others just fade away)

[sianto]

The whole world is worried that WA is going to cost more or adopt advertisements. So it is kind of nice to see BBM will trying to adopt a different kind of payment system.

If an option like stickers will make BBM financially sound, maybe even create some more financial leeway, it sure feels like a part of 'stability' to me.

BlackBerry 10 signed.

Adopt ads and be more expensive, watch what happened to Skype. You don't earn billions back by asking everybody a buck a year!

[Thesmartmale]

Telegram now #1 in a lot of Middle Eastern stores after whatsapp went down.

Let's try BBM......said no one ever after whatsapp went down.

Posted via CB10

[crackberry_geek]

BlackBerry...HEY...are you reading this?

Please, please, PLEASE...pay attention.

This thread is Soooo spot on!

Posted with Z10 via CB10

[NinjaB]

agreed OP, unfortunately.. how many times have we Crackberrians found ourselves saying something like this?

*sigh*

not much more to say... OK, maybe I lied..

Chen has improved a lot- corporate communication, focus & vision for future strategy & profitability, etc...

but not the marketing, not yet...he is trying to change perception with his messages and statements, but real statements are made by backing up what you say... and if you say BBM is one of your four main focuses, it should be dedicating the most resources (relative to the other 3 areas) on BBM, for the near future until it gets these invitation issues and performance issues across all platforms completely ironed out.. then market the heck out of it...

and if people say they don't have money to throw around? it doesn't take 1b or even 500 million to put on an effective targeted marketing scheme... if BB thinks it does and that's why they're not doing anything, they have serious problems that we're not going to see go away...

[KemKev]

From reading some of the comments in this thread, one would think that John Chen is not so smart at all. Makes me wonder if the honeymoon is finally over.

[KemKev]

Friends of mine in the UK were told that blackberry and bbm is dead so many people have moved from blackberry to iPhone including my friends.

So your friends cannot think, read or research for themselves? Talk about being sheep. Sheesh...