New Droid ad: The iPhone's a purse

Early on Monday, we learned that the new Verizon Droid does, indeed, swap "semi-functional, giggling-brat-vanity for a bare knuckle bucket of does."

Now, we have the visual evidence. It's evidence a defense attorney would rather enjoy.

The Droid is, apparently, not a smartphone at all. It is a robotphone, according to Verizon's latest TV ad. Yes, it punches its way through steel walls and crushes rocks. Which, I believe, is known in English classes as poetry.

The lyrical content is only heightened when the giggling-brat-vanity words are uttered by an announcer who sounds like he had a previous career as an enforcer with one of the Gambino bambinos.

As the contempt drips from his lips, we see various iPhone-like devices all blinged out in pinks and purples and sequins. They look like purses.

And the subtext, which is about as covert as a right cross from an inebriated wedding crasher, is that the Droid is for boys and the iPhone is for fans of "Project Runway" and "The Real Housewives of Orange County."

Yes, your Droid is your Mixed Martial Arts-lovin', bone-crushin' robot that's going to turn you into a man. And that's what all boys want, right?

[dverlaque]

The Droid commercials are awful, especially compared to the iPhone's.

[Seanathome]

I actually enjoy them as a nice contrast to Apple's sweet little tunes. It's good to get away from the sweet and innocent for a little while. :)

[tektaktyks]

yea,sweet and innocent lil' boys and girls...

[gfritts451]

lame...

[sharmajunior]

It's funny to see how Apple fanboys can't stand anything bad said or compared to their iPhones...

[gerrrg]

iPhone: iHave envy.<br /><br />Droid: ****, I'm working.

[faceless128]

they sure do have a lot of people talking about them.... if only that translated into sales...

[bonesbautista]

@dverlaque - I'm an iPhone owner, and I'm so freakin' sick of the "There's an app for that" spots I can't hit the mute button fast enough. Apple's got a good thing going, but they really need to find a different theme. Quickly.<br /><br />The Droid ads are pretty original, have nothing to do the with devices at all - and they get one's attention. Like Seanathorne wrote, the new ads are a fun change.

[jezzur]

I need to fix my wall.

[Renegade Knight]

@@dverlaque <br /> <br />Your in for some rought times. "There's an app for that" jokes are like the new "That's what she said".

[6stringluke]

Classic case of advertising trying to change the mindset of the consumer. Not very subtle and likely to work on only the simple minded who are prone to being "moulded" by TV.<br /><br />Others might be insulted, and with the cellphone market saturated as it is, is that really the best way to win customers off other providers?<br /><br />Its a laugh, but does the product stand up to all the hoopla created by Verizon and this ad campaign? If it doesn't, I am reminded of a Youtube video that someone forwarded to me. It was of this fight between a wannabe gangster who couldn't stop mouthing off and insulting his more reserved and some would say, "geeky" opponent who then proceeded to knock him out with one punch.

[Random_Walk]

It actually give me the mental picture: <br /><br />Imagine some balding middle-aged guy, stepping out of a gray primer-colored 1986 Camaro Z-28, as his enlarged gut bulges out from under a threadbare 'Metallica' t-shirt. As a pair of cute teenaged girls walk by, he stares them down, does his best to suck in his belly, straighten his comb-over job, then whips out his 'droid phone and pretends to speak with a stock broker on it. <br /><br />The girls of course take one look at this cultural wreck, look at each other, and bursts out laughing.<br /><br />That guy is the type to rush out and buy a 'Droid based on these 'many' commercials. Well, him and teenaged boys. But, they have to run to Mom and Dad, begging to buy a 'droid for them, so they don't count as much.

[techfairy]

As you mentioned, market saturation is really the issue. Many of the consumers already have a smart phone and would need to exchange their current product for the Droid. I would rather see an ad that outlines clear reasons to abandon my current phone. I'm not breaking a contract and abandoning something that I knows works for the "manly wall crusher" with unlisted benefits. (Yes, the Droid does have some great features. . . but does that come across in these ads?)

[kojacked]

"Imagine some balding middle-aged guy, stepping out of a gray primer-colored 1986 Camaro Z-28, as his enlarged gut bulges out from under a threadbare 'Metallica' t-shirt." OMG Random! You read my mind! That's how I always imagined you! Too bad you had to look in the mirror for that bit of creativity. Hey is that your mommy calling you? Wilhelm...I have snacks for you...

[davidmcelroy_dotmac]

These commercials are getting worse. Whoever is making advertising decisions at Verizon ought to be fired. If I want a rock crushed or a hole punched through a steel wall, it's highly unlikely that I'll want (or expect) my phone to do the job. The idea behind the ad is just so bad that it boggles the brain of anyone who understands advertising and the broader smart phone market. The only way this ad is any good is if it's intended to run during Saturday morning cartoons, because it's aimed at a truly juvenile mind. I realize that some Android-loving nerds will love this spot, but it is truly bafflingly bad advertising for a mainstream market.

[gerrrg]

Yeah, don't it figure, someone with a 'dotmac' pseudonym would want to attack the Droid commercials? <br /><br />Oh my...Verizon is quivering in the shadow of Apple fanboy criticism.

[davidmcelroy_dotmac]

@gerrrg: You're not very bright to make such a stupid ad hominem attack. I'm evaluating the content of the spot. You're attacking me because of my e-mail address. You obviously don't know anything about advertising or marketing; otherwise, you might have responded with substance to the problems in the advertising. Since you don't, you commit one of the most basic logical fallacies around. Come back when you've grown up and learned how to discuss things with adults.

[pjhenry1216]

@dotmac: I don't see you attacking the Mac Vs. PC commercials for lack of content. They've become one of the most annoying commercials on TV. They no longer even talk about the Mac anymore. They just attack PC. It was old a *long* time ago. But of course, I bet you'll find them funny and "true" (which, by the way, if you actually believe, you're worse off than I thought).<br /><br />The point the commercial is making is that it can do "everything." Obviously, they aren't saying it can really break rocks or punch through steel. If that's what you got from the commercial, well, there's help you can get for that. If you missed the theme that has been screamed in every commercial they've had since their first commercial, well, there's not much I can do.

[tmeesseman]

@pjhenry <br /> <br />My guess is that he didn't rag on Mac vs. PC commercials because that isn't the subject here. You want him to bring up a completely different set of ads just to validify his dislike of the Droid ads? You're making far too many assumptions based on his username. <br /> <br />That said, I am a crazy Apple fanboy with a Masters in Advertising. But even I agree that it's time to move on from the Mac vs. PC ads. The best ones were when they spoke about what Macs CAN do - not what PC can't. I'll have to disagree with whoever said they "There's an app for that" ads are overdone. While people like us hate them (we're total geeks - and we get it), they're successful. They also show those who don't have an iPhone what's on the app store. <br /> <br />Also, I'm not a fan of the Droid ads either. Like the original Pre ads, I think they're missing their mark and don't properly convey what the Droid is worth buying for.

[davidmcelroy_dotmac]

@pjhenry1216: Apple's spots comparing the Mac and PC are completely irrelevant to a discussion of this Verizon Droid spot, so why in the world would I mention them here? That's another subject entirely, and it's not one I'm even going to try to get into here.<br /><br />The Verizon advertising that I'm criticizing is just plain BAD. It has nothing to do with what I like as a product. I've evaluating it professionally, not as a fan of a product. You seem to blind to understand that people can be adults with their opinions instead of allowing personal preference to cloud everything. Learn something about advertising before you come on here pretending that you know anything. You don't. The fact that the commercials DO promise that the phone can do EVERYTHING is part of the freaking problem, but that seems to have escaped your attention. When you promise everything, you promise nothing. And when the specific examples you mention are so completely disconnected from the product being advertised, it makes ZERO connection with the audience. It's just really, really BAD advertising.

[bctexas]

They sure are aiming for a VERY narrow spectrum of people with these commercials. I guess they dont think women use smartphones? Or maybe they know that once a woman's mind is made up on something that works well and works well for them and has provided them with great value, they cant be swayed away from that item. Kinda like a Volvo. Droid will never come close to taking a respectable marketshare from the iPhone, ....give up already.

[kflaske]

I got me a Droid and am loving it so far - Feels like all the iPhone people can't help but be fascinated by it ;) In the end, the app ecosystem of the iPhone remains superior...for now. But to tell you the truth, all the apps in the world don't get you out of the sticky mess that is apple's vision for its consumers. I am the apple-fanboy-antichrist on this issue. Droid, Eris, whatever, stay clear of apple and them telling you how to live your life! haha!<br /><br /> but really ..the Droid commercial....This adis a bit silly although it speaks to the future 'droids' that will be...the 'droid' in the ad would do better to represent the OS (although they have a phone to sell). I have been a google convert since day 1...Google Corp makes Apple Co look like a joke...there i said it...A JOKE!

[Splashes]

I'm an Apple fanboie, but I've been enjoying the Droid commercials, including this one. If one were to judge only by the ads, one would have to assume Motorola/Verizon really has their act together.<br /><br />And therein lies the rub. All the flashy ads in the world won't help if the actual product blows, or is even kinda-okay. Apple's advertising works because Apple has earned (!) a reputation for excellent products. If the Droid turns out to be an excellent product, each forthcoming Droid ad will be a positive multiplier. If the Droid turns out to be so-so or complete suckage, each ad will be a negative multiplier, making viewers roll their eyes. We won't know which it will be until a lot of people have used it day-to-day for a few months.

[pichipai]

Ah, smell that sexism.

[zenwaves]

The "iDon't" and "Island of Misfit Toys" spots were good.<br /><br />This spot and the "smartbomb" were clearly done by the agency's second stringers.

[Random_Walk]

...I'm thinking the gent who directed 'Plan 9 from Outer Space' could've done a better job of gauging his demographics at this point...

[FF2009]

Droid freaking rocks. <br /><br />bye bye iPhone. You were good till the new 500 pounds Gorilla came in town.

[tmeesseman]

Or you simply got sucked in by the flashy advertising and will grow to dislike your Motorola after the newness wears off. We'll see. <br /> <br />Motorola is notorious for building crap phones.

[rvassar]

Too bad the Android can't do Voice and Data at the same time! So much for Multi-tasking on this dog!

[ReedConsulting]

The old trusty homophobic tactic...you're not a REAL man if you use an iPhone over an Android...<br /><br />I can't believe this type of marketing still exists. Guess what, I can watch every UFC PPV on my iPhone, every MLB and NBA game, play Madden 10, FIFA 10, and numerous boxing and FPS games, and still receive calls while surfing the net...is that not "man enough" for you?<br /><br />This is such an old tactic, when in doubt, question someone's masculinity. I hope this type of nonsense backfires on Vzw.

[pcampagna]

I'm so tired of hearing about the iphone or apple fanbois as an excuse by people who don't have an iphone. (jealous?) . get over it non iphone people. <br /><br />It's not always about the iphone. Takes me to my point, that people who do not own Apple products are always angry. Just read what they say and it's obvious they are angry people. (probably cause their stuff isn't working properly always aggravating them) Apple products cause people to be happy. Just read their comments compared to the others.<br /><br />BTW I don't have an iphone.

[dansterpower]

Wow, that is one terrible commercial.

[tilandal]

Merits of the Droid aside (and I heave read that its a very good phone) that ad tells me nothing more then "This thing has a screen and can run apps." Gee that was enlightening. If I was a 15 year old boy I would really want one right now.

[Static-X-Machina]

Once again LAME POINTLESS POST! <br />SLOW NEWS DAY MUCH? <br />I said this on the last post. <br />IT'S A COMMERCIAL! <br />OOOOOOOOOOO!!! BIG SCARY WORDS! <br />Ya know this is about like women in organized religion gathering together in their sunday best to wag their tongues about whose kid has done what and how low one of them has sunk and how "they have fallen out of faith" <br />ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! IT'S OLD NEWS! <br />GO WRITE AN ARTICLE ON PAINT DRYING OR SOMETHING! WHEN A BUBBLE IN THE PAINT POPS WRITE UP A WHOLE PARAGRAPH! <br />&gt;_&lt;

[CupertinoBill]

Anyone who owns and iPhone or is likely to buy an iPhone already has a Tivo. So they are not wasting time watching TV commercials, they handily fast forward thru them. These ads are for folks who can't afford a Tivo nor a smartphone. Thus a waste of money.

[dylerl]

This is lame!! My iPhone works so much harder at having multi-touch, pinch to zoom, hardware encryption, more apps, video editing, video camera, real exchange support, enterprise level support, active sync profiles, installing a lot more than 256 mb of apps. So if the droid cannot do any of that how does it work harder than my iPhone, I smell BS, which Verizon is very good at!!!

[dinkeldorf]

I don't know if they're targetting a psychographic specifically with these, or just gaining attention by being contra - apple. It'd be interesting to see how these spots focus grouped or what the brief is. FWIW the story about the story is more interesting than the story. <br /> <br />And bring on competition, we all benefit!

[Norseman]

So when are they going to start including brass knuckles and a months supply of Viagra with each Droid?

[nrphoto]

I'm going to get one of these Droid phones, and then sue Motorolla and Verizon for false advertising when it turns out the Droid can't crush rocks.

"If you buy our Droid phone, you're macho! If you get the iphone, you're a *****." <br /><br />How original. lol My friend saw this and he thought it was an ad for a truck at first. Go figure. <br /><br />And I happen to think the little Android logo seems like a cute little chubby green bot, and nothing akin to a rock-smashing, steel-wall-punching macho robot. I wish they'd make a commercial with cute chubby green dancing robots, or something along those lines... quirky and cute, but with smarts inside. They could show the iphone along side it with all flash and no substance. *shrugs* Guess I'm just not in their nonsense demographic though.