Blackberry is doing a pretty major media blitz with their new campaign, "Ask Someone Why They Love Their Blackberry." I think I've seen it 18 times, in either a business magazine or online within the last hour (just kidding). It's a good campaign for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that it gives me, "Miss Not-Living-In-Technology-land," some common ground with the brand, thanks to storytelling.


The ad I've seen focuses on Kevin Carroll - someone who lives life the way I aspire to, instead of a business-suited woman or man frantically checking email while waiting for a train, for instance. Kevin, the author of Rules of the Red Rubber Ball and Founder of The Katalyst Consultancy, pursues life with passion (and always with a playful perspective), and through his work also helps many others do the same. (Full disclosure: I met Kevin last year at a workshop, and so my brain knew before I saw this ad that I loved his energy, just as my eyes knew I'd seen that face before...) Here's part of what he says in the ad:
"I am proof that a red rubber ball can change someone's life. So many wonderful lessons come from play. In the 21st century, we need to be more flexible, more nimble in our thinking." Kevin's quote goes on to connect his Blackberry to his belief in maximizing every day.
Now, this may not resonate with you/your life 100%, but you get the picture. (Plus, there are more faces/names/stories in this campaign with which you may well resonate.)
Anyway -
Other than the early adopters of technology (men and women), many people - especially, perhaps, women who look for the full spectrum of practical and emotional reasons for such a purchase - may wait quite a while for the bugs to be worked out and to see how the gadget is truly useful in the lives of like-minded/living consumers. When they find some common ground with the product and those that already use it - then, they'll more likely make a purchase There is incredible power in how basic stories can convert linear facts into that common ground.
Take this techno-avoider, for example: A Blackberry has never appealed to me, and/or seemed practical for my low-key life, so I've just skipped over the brand's ads in the past. But, the large, clean image of Kevin, and the few words of his story made the product seem more like something I might one day want to check out. Hmmm...
These Blackberry "Ask" stories appeal to a wider variety of people, many of whom might not otherwise identify with what could seem like same-old, same-old technology (amazing as it may be). Whether these people actually do buy a Blackberry right away or not, the fact is that these stories (and great videos on the site as well) may inspire them to sit a while longer with the possibility of buying one. Then, they will put the brand in an easy-access brain-file for future reference. Buy now, or remember for the future. Not a bad end to the story.