Have you seen the new Kindle spot yet? At first I thought it was made by a fan, or that it was one of the entries submitted for Amazon’s “create a Kindle ad” contest that ran last month. Not because it’s badly made, but because it feels out of touch with the brand image I thought Amazon was building for the Kindle.
Where the older Kindle ads conveyed optimism and human connection (they felt like they were cloned from Apple ad DNA), this one just makes me feel guilty about owning a new Kindle. I don’t want to identify with either one of these dorks by the fancy pool:
Here are three reasons this ad is dumb:
- It’s one of those “buy this product if you want to get laid” ads. C’mon, Amazon, really? Unless you’re speaking to the just-hit-puberty crowd (Axe body spray) or getting-old-but-still-horny pack (Scotch), why would you pull out this hoary old trick?
- It compares the iPad to the Kindle and hints that the iPad sucks. There are a million reasons to love the Kindle–and one of them, in fact, is that the Kindle has a software sibling that runs on the iPad. If you can only afford one portable entertainment device and you want music, movies, games, or a great email solution, I’m pretty sure you’re going to want an iPad or similar tablet (or good smartphone) over a Kindle. Why even pick this fight?
- It pitches the Kindle as a bargain purchase in the same breath that it makes the viewer question the Kindle owner’s financial savviness. When a woman casually tells a stranger that she paid more than $140 for her sunglasses, I suspect a lot of bargain-electronic shoppers go “whaa?” and make a sour face. We live in bum times; watching a woman by a pool brag about expensive plastic baubles suddenly makes the Kindle look like the same thing.
For the record, I loved the stop-motion ads that ran last year–they were humane, imaginative, and captured the “books are transporting” concept in a whimsical way that didn’t lean too far toward any gender role rules that pervade our culture. Now we’ve got a big lug in his undershirt, sitting impotently next to a hottie in a bikini who’s vocally proud of her luxury lifestyle totems. I’m confused. How is this about the Kindle’s best features again?
By Joel September 15, 2010 - 5:22 PM
I like that it makes the Kindle seem hot and sexy, instead of, as some perceive, an aid for the elderly who need big print.
And those sunglasses : my (prescription) sunglasses cost more than a wifi Kindle, too.
By p. September 15, 2010 - 5:57 PM
This is a much more effective ad than the first stop-motions ones. Stop someone on the street that has never heard of the Kindle and show them the first ad. Then ask them what the ad was trying to sell and what that product functions as. It would be hard to answer. The Kindle is on screen for about 10 total seconds and there’s no hint what it does. Now show that same person the second ad and they should be able to tell you basically what the product is and what it does.
As for being vocally proud, all she does it state what the product is and it’s price. She doesn’t proclaim it is all great and mighty, nor does she trash the iPad. She was asked a question and responded politely. She’s certainly happy with her purchase but she’s not claiming it’s the best thing since sliced bread.
Finally, they compared the ease of readability between the two products in sunlight. That’s easily one of the Kindle’s best features.
There are a lot more ads like this that Amazon can run, that jab at the iPad. Imagine this next one — A guy is standing on a crowded bus holding his iPad, trying to read something. Along comes a guy, space is tight, he needs to hold on to the railing above to keep his balance. With his free hand, he slips it into his messenger bag and pulls out his Kindle and commences reading right then and there. He flips a page or two, while the guy with the iPad struggles to swipe the pages on the overly crowded bus. Suddenly, the bus slams on the brakes and people tumble over one another. iPad guy is down, iPad possibly broken, and then he looks up and the guy with the Kindle is still standing, still reading away. Then he bends down, offers the iPad guy his free hand to help him back on, while still holding his Kindle in his other hand. Kindle guy asks, “Are you okay?”, to which iPad guy replies, “Yes, thank you.” Scene ends with Kindle guy saying, “Good thing I was able to hold on” and continues to read off his Kindle.
Another simple, yet effective ad. By the way, Amazon, if you’re reading this and you’re inspired by my idea, I don’t expect much, maybe a free Kindle or two and a healthy amount of free books.