RUSSELL BRAND x HP TOUCHPAD

Meet Russell Brand’s “robot butler.” That’s what the comedian, actor, singer — and now pitchman for HP tablets — calls his TouchPad gadget in this new spot from Goodby Silverstein & Partners.

Commercials for competitors’ tablets, like Apple’s iPad and Samsung’s Galaxy, have tended to rely heavily on visuals of the devices in use, and HP doesn’t deviate so far from that here. The brand does try though, with some success, to inject humor into what still looks like a product demo, a not-so-riveting genre now that footage of tablets’ more generic functions (e.g. touch screens) has lost its novelty. And while the spot seems to frame the TouchPad’s universal search feature — which rapidly displays returns from the device, web, and applications — as what sets it apart, that point doesn’t cut through all that clearly.

Brand, meanwhile, offers up some mildly amusing moments, playing both the diva and the “digital manservant.” He also, apparently, has some sort of weird superhuman x-ray vision, demonstrating a unique ability to see through the back of the device well enough to navigate the front, without looking at it. Then there's the ostrich: it's goofy, but what the heck is one is doing in his glitzy apartment. Was it an impulse buy? A leftover party prank? A wayward squatter? And how, exactly, does Brand expect his inanimate tech toy to give the bird the boot?

Ultimately, a string of promos that feature Brand riffing on the TouchPad’s features is more entertaining than the TV commercial. But even those prompted some backlash from the tech world, suggesting that HP should focus more on making a better device, and less on hiring celebrity salesmen.

CLASSIC CREATIVE :: JAY-Z for HP

GRAMMY EDITION: HP TOUCHPAD

HP said that they’d be going all-out marketing this next generation of webOS devices, and they’re not waiting to get started. The first ads came yesterday during the 53rd Grammy Awards. HP’s did it two ways during the Grammys. First was apart of their "Everybody On" campaign, featuring 13-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys and HP notebooks with Beats Audio. The part that was most interesting, however, was how HP used their new HP TouchPad: the tablet was featured in on-air “what’s coming up next” bumpers leading into commercial breaks.

The TouchPad isn’t planned for availability until sometime this summer, so I completely understand the early phase of marketing. I think it gives HP a chance to get a feel for the needs of the people. Maybe do some more product sampling and testing to get feedback in comparison with the iPad by Apple, Inc.

GRAMMY EDITION: ALICIA KEYS x HP : "EVERYBODY ON"

Sunday’s GRAMMY telecast will include a new Hewlett Packard commercial with 13-time GRAMMY Award-winner Alicia Keys. The collaboration will launch their new “Everybody On” global marketing campaign, created to demonstrate how people around the world use HP products and technology in their everyday lives in order to pursue their dreams.


In the commercial, Keys tells the story behind her first album “Songs in A Minor” (2001), how HP technology helps her record music, and her appreciation for how it lets people hear her music the way she intends for it to sound. The spot will feature HP laptops with the popular Beats Audio technology, created with Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, which produces studio-quality sound on the computer.

INFLUENCERS :: STEVE STOUTE

INFLUENCERS in-depth Series / STEVE STOUTE from R+I creative on Vimeo.

INFLUENCERS In-depth Series features Steve Stoute, Founder and CEO of Translation, a brand management firm that arranges strategic partnerships between Pop Culture icons (Jay-Z, Gwen Stefani, Lebron James, Justin Timberlake, etc.) and Fortune 500 companies.


In this episode, Steve Stoute discusses the concept of cool, how new cultural codes are redefining traditional corporation communication. He also talks about creating successful collaborations between Artists and Brands.

Named one of the Fortune’s 40 under 40 list and inducted into the American Advertising Hall of Achievement (2009), Steve Stoute is one of today’s most influential forces in entertainment marketing. His client roster includes companies such as Samsung, State Farm, Mc Donald’s, Target, Wrigley’s, HP, P&G and artists such as Lady Gaga and Rihanna (management).

influencersfilm.com


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twitter.com/​influencersfilm

COKE TOPS LIST OF GLOBAL BRANDS

Coca-Cola, IBM and Microsoft again score big win, place and show honors in this year's interbrand ranking of the 100 Best Global Brands.

Among the highlights, BP fell off the list and Hewlett-Packard jumped into the top 10 for the first time.

The list, based on “a unique methodology analyzing the many ways a brand touches and benefits an organization, from attracting top talent to delivering on customer expectation,” according to Interbrand, showed some big movers over the course of 2009-2010. For instance, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill prompted BP to exit the list, leaving Shell as the biggest brand in the category.

But in some cases, brands seemed to weather crises well. Toyota, No. 11 on the list, lost 16 percent of its value after its recall PR disaster earlier this year. However, it only fell three places. Goldman Sachs, despite its well-publicized troubles, actually rose from No. 38 to No. 37.

The biggest winners were tech brands, which seemed to withstand the economic times particularly well. For example, Google’s brand value jumped 36 percent, making it a solid No. 4, while Intel (7) and HP (10) had a strong showing, as did Apple (17).

 

TOP 100 GLOBAL BRANDS - FULL LIST

VIVIENNE TAM HP NOTEBOOK CLUTCH APPEAR ON PROJECT RUNWAY

HP x VIVIENNE TAM TEAM AGAIN ON NEW DIGITAL CLUTCH

Fashion and technology reunite on the runway at Tam’s New York Fashion Week show...

Introducing this season’s must-have tech accessory for fashionistas around the globe – the HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam Edition. Dressed in sleek champagne and affectionately knowns as a “digital clutch”, the HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam Edition is ultra-thin, feather light and a perfect companion to your smart, chic dressed-up style.

The design of the “digital clutch” reflects Tam’s Spring/ Summer 2010 collection as inspired by the classic Chinese love story, “Butterfly Lovers”, a beautiful tale of freedom and romance that dates back to the Tang Dynasty and is often described as the Chinese version of “Romeo and Juliet”. Exclusive wallpapers glam up your screen while a built-in webcam transforms it into a digital “compact mirror”, so you can always look fantastic while on-the-go.

HP and world-renowned designer Vivienne Tam today announced plans to extend their widely celebrated partnership with the next must-have accessory for fashionistas worldwide.

Vivienne Tam and HP premiered the next digital clutch on the catwalk of Tam’s fashion show during New York’s Fashion Week at Bryant Park.

The new look in digital clutch chic marries two cultures – fashion and technology – to reflect a transformative spirit and sophisticated lifestyle. It fuses high fashion, small form factor and innovative function to take the personal computer from a necessity to a lifestyle statement for modern-day women on the go.

“I’m excited to partner with HP again on a new design that truly embodies my inspiration for the new spring collection,” said Tam. “When women around the globe carry HP’s digital clutch and wear my clothes, I want them to feel beautiful and confident.”

The notebook design will reflect Tam’s spring 2010 collection, inspired by the classic Chinese love story, “Butterfly Lovers,” a beautiful tale of freedom, romance and inspiration.

“With her spring collection, Tam debuts HP’s next tech must-have,” said Satjiv S. Chahil, senior vice president, Worldwide Marketing, Personal Systems Group, HP. “Products as beautiful as those Vivienne makes deserve to be presented in an inspiring, unique retail experience, so we’ve extended our partnership to showcase her line in Vivienne’s Soho boutique.”

The HP Vivienne Tam digital clutch is expected to be available in spring 2010.

“StyleCaster” virtual experience

Those who can’t attend Tam’s Spring 2010 runway in person can experience “virtual” front seats on stylecaster.com/viviennetam. Live footage from the catwalk of Tam’s show will be streamed, and viewers will have the opportunity to participate in a forum discussing the new digital clutch and Tam’s spring collection. Stylecaster.com also will provide a destination for fashionistas to learn more about Vivienne Tam and HP.

About Vivienne Tam

Vivienne Tam is a leading designer fashion house founded in 1994. The company produces, designs and markets women’s contemporary apparel distributed in major department stores, specialty stores and independent boutiques throughout the U.S. The company also has a strong presence in the Asia Pacific region with over 30 freestanding stores and in-store boutiques.

The Vivienne Tam brand’s unique positioning – designs that meld the aesthetic and feminine mystique of Asia with the spirit of the modern world – is well recognized around the globe. Asia. The company’s philosophy is to create harmonious clothing that enhances one’s personality while at the same time provide fashionable clothing for modern women that is beautifully designed, superior in quality, wearable, easy to travel with and affordable. http://www.viviennetam.com/.

About HP

HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.

DR. DRE AND HP DO SOMETHING AMAZING

SHAUN WHITE DEFIES THE LAW OF BRAND ENDORSEMENTS: FAST COMPANY MAGAZINE INTERVIEW

When it comes to brand endorsements, celebrity endorsements can be one of the most complex. Not only can it be hard for the brand to overcome what Rohit Bhargava calls the “paid to play” perception, but there is always a risk that a celebrities actions might stray from the light the brand wants to be represented in.

My biggest concern with celebrity endorsements is how diluted they can become as the celebrity endorses more and more brands. After all the celebrities that are hot and in demand are the ones that tend to do the most endorsements. So while an endorsement of RedBull today might generate immediate attention and mass appeal, when that same celebrity goes on to sign that underwear deal with Hanes, RedBull just won’t seem as edgy (at least in association with that celeb).

Fast Company recently did a feature story on extreme sport superstar, Shaun White. One might think with White’s massive fan appeal, especially among Gen Y age groups, that he would be a celebrity endorsement stretched to his limit. But, this is clearly not the case.

White maintains successful endorsement deals with Burton, Target, Red Bull, Oakley, HP and Ubisoft. This is obviously more brand attachments than most celebrities are able to manage. So what makes Shaun White different?

After reading the story, here are a few standouts for why Shaun White continuously defies the natural law of brand endorsements:

Understands the value of his personal brand. Shaun understands that in the same way his endorsement reflects on a brand, his personal brand is reflected upon by a brand he chooses to endorse. He always weighs not only the short-term gains for a deal, but how this will affect his personal brand value in the long-term.

White remains authentic.Despite Shaun’s continuous escalation to stardom, he stays true to who he is and what he stands for and his fans love him for it.

Only works with brands he can connect with.Shaun only works with brands that he personally connects with. In fact, there have been multiple occasions where White sought out a relationship with a brand he wanted to work with, instead of signing a contract with anyone that writes him a check.

Understands how endorsements work together. This was clearly exhibited back when White had to decide between continuing his relationship with Volcom or enter into a brand new deal with Target, where he would have a hand in designing a special line of clothing. He opted to work with Target because of the freedom the opportunity provided him and because it would eliminate any possible conflicts between Burton and Volcom.