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Do Palm's Bland New Ads Make You Want to Buy a Pre?
Challenging the BlackBerry and iPhone's collective dominance over the smartphone marketplace can be a daunting task. With its odd new line of Pre ads, Palm is at least creating a stir, even though the majority of reviews may not be positive.
The ads feature an actress with a monotonous and soothing voice (an increasingly lazy science fiction and tech cliche) who seeks to inspire self-reflection with weak attempts at artistic and profound commentary. The comments have absolutely nothing to do with smartphones, though.
According to Adage, Modernista co-founder Gary Koepke (the man behind the campaign) asked himself, "Could the ads work harder to show exactly how the phone works?" He responded, "Yes, but we knew it would be polarizing people to have a woman not shout at them and tell an interesting story." 'Interesting' might not be an apt description.
If Modernista's only goal was to get people talking, then the ads can be considered a success. If the firm wanted to create excitement and actually inspire people to purchase the Pre (rather than just discuss it), then following the lead of Kaspersky Labs would have been a better idea. Watching Jackie Chan kick and punch his way through an army of competing smartphones would be irrefutably awesome. [From: Adage and Engadget]
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Comments
43
Subscribe to commentsOmiAug 6th 2009 6:42AM
I hate them. They creep the crap out of me.
Palm has done a good job of being fairly appleesque, until these effin creepy ads came out.
DozAug 6th 2009 10:42AM
I agree, they creeped me into waiting for the touch pro 2 to release, whenever that may be.
califbusAug 7th 2009 7:53AM
My answer is simple -- NO.
garypglassAug 7th 2009 8:24AM
I didn't know what these ads were for. I always fast forward or change the channel because of the creepy person.
brebeloneAug 7th 2009 9:00AM
noooooooooooooooooooooooo
GPUPPY1Aug 7th 2009 8:05PM
These ads are boring and bland. They're also annoying because they're on ALL THE TIME. Mute buttons rule!
howelljd2Aug 7th 2009 9:38AM
I HATE the palm pre ads....I am not a violent person, but I just want to smack her in her smug face. There's NOTHING about these ads that makes me want to buy their product--they only make me want to turn the channel, which I do.
hotbox530Aug 7th 2009 9:37AM
The ads are so creepy and subtly disturbing, I keep thinking they're for the Sci-Fi channel. Sorry the SYFY channel.
ChrisAug 7th 2009 10:07AM
While I'm not in the market for a Palm Pre, I do like the ads. It's refreshing to see a commercial which doesn't just pander to the vidiot generation who live their lives as one continuous stream of interruptions.
By no means am I an "old fogey", but I do pine for the days of commercial jingles instead of using overwhelming CGI as a means to hook customers on a particular product.
metalmom37Aug 7th 2009 10:58AM
I whole heartedly agree that those commercials are just weird. I hate them worse than the "Chad" ads from Altell. I do not feel motivated in the least to own a Palm Pre
Cathleen CondrenAug 7th 2009 11:00AM
Whenever these come on I freak out! The lady is really creepy and I honestly don't care about what you think of reincarnation and "going with the flow". If the ad comes on too much I might get nightmares of her voice...
peacelovecaityAug 7th 2009 11:01AM
is this all aol has to write about?
DeliahAug 7th 2009 11:06AM
That's it? Go Green! lol Sorry, couldn't resist. I mean, come one, background picture of little puffy trees, and blue skys, and clouds, and a girl with plain hair and face like a 16th century madonna, no smile, likes she's stoned, no pizzazz or excitement; just plain zzzzzzzz.
It's a Liberal's view of life. Eurphoric, idealistic, out of touch with realty. lazy and childish.
joshlsmithAug 7th 2009 2:57PM
Only a conservative would somehow try to find a way to insult the opposing political party over a commercial that has nothing to do with politics.
ArchaliasAug 7th 2009 11:13AM
I kind of like them. I think too many things today are far too overdone just for the sake of being overplayed. It's nice to see something simple.
a guyAug 7th 2009 11:27AM
That woman's voice is creepy, I'll give you that. But those aren't the worst ads on TV today. That title has to belong the ads that Progressive Insurance airs. That woman (and effeminate male) in those ads are so annoying that I change the channel every time they come on.
uhgetoveritxAug 7th 2009 11:37AM
they're sooooooooooooooo annoying and wierd!
sshanaxoxo32Aug 7th 2009 11:37AM
when i first saw that i thought it was really creepy. the lady's voice is kinds scary. i dont like that commercial.
DaveAug 7th 2009 11:42AM
Well, the ad may be weird, but I totally get what they're trying to get at... Most electronics these days are glitchy as %&#* and they lag, do something you don't want, or some other idiotic thing. Like, when was the last time you had a cell phone that did great at being a phone? When was the last time that your computer moved along fluidly without lags and interruptions and glitches? Yup, I totally get it. Wouldn't buy one of those things, though. I'll carry my laptop or Zune for other stuff, and leave my cell for just making calls. That cancer-causing high-frequency GSM-based technology is scary, anyway.
CerriaAug 7th 2009 11:42AM
I agree howelljd2, I always hated this ad.