I always find it odd that while many seem to have no issue with Apple coming up with new and creative ways to market their products, for some reason it’s an issue when other companies try to market against Apple. Case in point: Ars Technica is currently polling their readers to see what they think of Verizon’s new “iDon’t” ads. At the time of this post, 38% of users said they loved the ads, and 28% said they were “just okay”. Still, that’s a majority viewing those ads positively. I’m thinking the results of this poll may be a bit of a surprise to Ars, because they argued that general users wouldn’t find the points covered in the ad all to useful.
Ars readers are surely far from “general”, and I’m sure they’re getting more out of this ad then most. But I do think covering the fact that the Droid has a keyboard, a 5MP camera, and that it’s going to be available on Verizon’s great network will pique mainstream interest more than Ars thinks. The iPhone and AT&T’s 3G network are ripe with flaws to critique, and I certainly have no problem with companies aiming directly at them in their advertising. Verizon pulled a similar ploy with their “There’s a map for that” ad, and we’ve also seen Microsoft try to take on the Apple tax with their “Laptop Hunter” ads.
They may not be as creative or (sometimes) groundbreaking as Apple’s marketing, but they are fairly honest critiques against Apple’s flaws. Mainstream users may not get everything Verizon wants them to from the ad, but it’s a knock against Apple’s seemingly perfect marketing facade. I would consider that at least a semi-success for Verizon.
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Do Verizon’s “iDon’t” Ads Miss the Point?
I always find it odd that while many seem to have no issue with Apple coming up with new and creative ways to market their products, for some reason it’s an issue when other companies try to market against Apple. Case in point: Ars Technica is currently polling their readers to see what they think of Verizon’s new “iDon’t” ads. At the time of this post, 38% of users said they loved the ads, and 28% said they were “just okay”. Still, that’s a majority viewing those ads positively. I’m thinking the results of this poll may be a bit of a surprise to Ars, because they argued that general users wouldn’t find the points covered in the ad all to useful.
Ars readers are surely far from “general”, and I’m sure they’re getting more out of this ad then most. But I do think covering the fact that the Droid has a keyboard, a 5MP camera, and that it’s going to be available on Verizon’s great network will pique mainstream interest more than Ars thinks. The iPhone and AT&T’s 3G network are ripe with flaws to critique, and I certainly have no problem with companies aiming directly at them in their advertising. Verizon pulled a similar ploy with their “There’s a map for that” ad, and we’ve also seen Microsoft try to take on the Apple tax with their “Laptop Hunter” ads.
They may not be as creative or (sometimes) groundbreaking as Apple’s marketing, but they are fairly honest critiques against Apple’s flaws. Mainstream users may not get everything Verizon wants them to from the ad, but it’s a knock against Apple’s seemingly perfect marketing facade. I would consider that at least a semi-success for Verizon.
View the ad below, and tell me what you think: