| Friday, September 23, 2005 |
13:27 - America, meet the new Dell Dude
http://www.dellditty.com/
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Well, John Gruber might have had trouble finding the official product page for the Dell DJ Ditty... but I guess that's because he didn't know about this site, which Kris found.
He warned me not to go there. I didn't heed his words. And I am sorry.
It's mind-numbing. From all appearances, they sunk more money into producing this website than they did into the design of the Ditty—and I'll be amazed if they sell enough Ditties to break even on it.
And "Instructor Mitch Ferrence"... wow. Is this supposed to be a parody of the dancing-silhouette iPod ads, somehow? I hope so, though I doubt it—because it's the only way I can fathom that Dell thought this would connect with any potential buyer in a positive way. If they're sincere... yow. Just imagine it: "I didn't buy an iPod because I didn't want to be associated with those dancing shadow guys on all the Apple ads. But—hey! This Mitch Ferrence guy is my dawg, yo! Sign me up for those full-length instructional videos on lip-syncing and disco dancing!"
Also notice how, in the videos, the narrator introducing each one tries so hard to make the ridiculous name of Ditty sound hip: "Introducing Mitch Ferrence—maestro of the Dell DJ Dit-tay!" I mean, they don't have much to work with, and perhaps the ad agency knew it; they must have been told they'd be going up against the iPod campaign, and the first-stringer ad-men must have deserted their posts and scuttled for higher ground, leaving behind only the interns and rookies too new to the business to know what happens to your land and loved ones when you try to out-hip a Chiat-Day blitz. It's a game attempt, I suppose, but (as Chris pointed out) there is nary even a photo of the Ditty that shows its screen with anything but a Dell logo on it. This much hand-fluttering misdirection and weaselly vagueness about the device itself... well, let's just say I don't think the Steve is pacing around at 3AM with hot toddies and Nyquil these days.
Remember the Dell Dude? We haven't seen much of him lately, have we? I guess Instructor Mitch Ferrence is the new guise under which he walks the earth.
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Brian Tiemann
