Here’s an interesting comparison: two very different ads—and strategies—for parity products.
Here’s the commercial for iPhone 4
And here’s the promo for Droid X
We all prefer the iPhone ad, and not because we are elitist Apple devotees. We like the iPhone message because we like being human.
The raison d’etre for a phone is connectivity. This spot demonstrates how the new iPhone lets you reach out and connect with people in a meaningful way. It lets you have dialogues and share emotions; “only connect” as E.M. Forrester famously wrote (Howards End)
Droid, on the other hand, turns you into a machine. Droid = Android = imitation human = antisocial techie. That’s a fine strategy as it speaks to people who love technology and are more interested in doing things than getting all touchy feely. It all makes perfect sense since a Droid (Android) is an artificial person.
Compare this to the Sprint Evo intro that is aimed squarely at first adapters. This type of geek is actually more social because what is the use of having the newest, latest, coolest gadget if you can’t brag to other life forms about it?
