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Culture

by Mike Masnick

Mon, Feb 16th 2004 11:33am





Getting Treos Into Celebrity Hands

from the do-you-make-the-A-list? dept

RIM started this with their Blackberry marketing program that tried to get the devices into the hands of specific people who would influence others, and Danger followed up doing the same thing with their Hiptop. Now, it appears that PalmOne/Handspring are going all out in making sure the rich, famous and (most importantly) well connected are carrying Treo 600s wherever they go. Maybe this explains why almost everyone is completely sold out of the devices - they're all going to people who are better connected than you or I. The article paints an interesting picture of the process of getting free stuff if you're rich and famous. Basically, you see one of your rich and famous friends with some cool gadget, and then you call up the company requesting your own. Even though you've got more money than you could ever know what to do with, the company then sends you a free one (or more, if you want...) so that you'll be sure to show it to your friends, and all those piddly little normal people will drool over it and have to go out and spend their hard-earned money on one themselves.

5 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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Reader Comments (rss)

(Flattened / Threaded)

  1.  

    The Deaf Market

    identicon
    dorpus, Feb 16th, 2004 @ 1:44pm

    Deaf people are avid users of those types of products, though it's probably not an image the makers want. I saw a deaf family in front of me the other day using one of those things, I leaned over and asked the kid what it was, but he couldn't hear me.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    Duh

    identicon
    alternatives, Feb 16th, 2004 @ 2:02pm

    There is a markting idea - marketing to the "Alpha geek" or the "movers and shakers"

    Finding real 'inflence makers' is hard, so go for 'celebs' - no research is needed beyond looking at the list of people in a magazine.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    No way I'm getting a Treo now

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Feb 17th, 2004 @ 12:06am

    I was thinking about getting an upcoming Treo with Bluetooth and 320x320 screen, but this stupidity makes me sick.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    Not their fault

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Feb 17th, 2004 @ 10:43am

    Don't blame the rich and famous for this, or even the marketing companies, blame the idiots who drool over the rich and famous and are willing to buy anything their idols use.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  

    Re: No way I'm getting a Treo now

    identicon
    Inner Critic, Feb 17th, 2004 @ 10:44am

    Any of them consider that the very early adopter market they need would likely be VERY turned off by seeing it in the hands of, say, Fran Drescher? Or Britney Spears? Or whoever.

    "Wow - a Treo. I heard Britney has one. I never knew you as smart as Britney! Can you get one in pink, too?"

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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