BlackBerry hearts U2...
Dear BlackBerry: it may be time to start seeing other bands.
In one of the worst advertising themelines since "I'm lovin' it," BlackBerry's new ad campaign proudly announces that "BlackBerry loves U2."
What we're supposed to do with this info - other than get grossed out - is unclear, but this is apparently BlackBerry's attempt to promote its expensive sponsorship deal with U2 and the new mobile version of the band's crappiest album ever (and remember: U2 released Pop and Zooropa), No Line on the Horizon.
I've provided no links to these albums, because you don't want 'em.
As the talkbacker "Charbarred" says on Stereogum: "Wow, those BlackBerry guys are so hip." Yeah, I can't wait to download the new U2 album and listen to it with all my peeps.
Not only is this ad about as unhip as an ad treatment can get, it suffers in comparison to U2's previous advertising partnership with Apple (below), still fresh in the minds of everyone who saw it when it ran a million times a day on every TV and radio station on planet Earth.
BlackBerry's ad makes it clear that it really, really wants to be Apple, which smacks of desperation - the opposite of authenticity. And U2's willingness to abandon a brand to the highest bidder with one of its weakest songs is the icing on the cake; the old-school equivalent would be for Michael Jackson to do an "Earth Song" ad for Coke after the "Billie Jean" ad for Pepsi.
Viewers always know the difference between good and bad, authentic and pretentious. I've known "With or Without You," BlackBerry. And you, BlackBerry, are no "With or Without You."
...But U2 is screwing around with Apple!
But BlackBerry can never BE Apple because they just do phones (sorry, smartphones!) Apple does waaaaay more than just the iphone.
ReplyDeleteThat being said I have to disagree with one part of your post: Pop and Zooropa were both great albums!
Pop and Zooropa are rotten to the core. Rotten, I tell you!
ReplyDelete