HTC's definitely been a major name amonst the gadget cognoscenti for a while now, but it looks like the company's gearing up to go mainstream -- this is the first print ad from the new HTC You campaign that's launching today. Considering HTC's recent slew of high-profile handset launches like the
Hero,
HD2, and
Tilt2 and equally-promising upcoming products like the
Dragon and
Droid Eris, we'd say this marketing push hasn't come a moment too soon. As for the ad itself, while it's not exactly a knockdown punch, it certainly suggests that HTC sees Sense UI as its ace in the hole -- we'll see how that plays out as Android 2.0 phones like the
Motorola Droid come out and make stock Android sexy again.
Update: And the commercials have gone live on YouTube as well -- we gotta say, we're pretty into them. Check 'em after the break.
posted Oct 26th 2009 12:20AM
been seeing these billboards all over nyc... was wondering what they were for
Same here. I saw 7 yesterday and today over a short drive.
Saw one last week in Chicago, recognized it right away from their website.
haha I'm sure the ad people would love to hear you say that.
I guess it's cool as far as being in the minimalist hip kind of ad style... as for effectiveness not so much?
So... where in these commercials does it set HTC phones apart from other phones? All I got out of the commercial was that the phone "gets" me, that it plays music, takes calls, has maps (maybe GPS; doesn't say for sure), and that it has a calendar in it. Sounds like pretty much every non-dumb phone available in 2009.
Sorry if my comment sounds harsh; I just wish that features were what set phones apart from each other rather than advertising.
@ John and Monica
These ads are refreshing to me. I can not see how you can say they are not effective. These ads tell me everything i need to basically know. The details I can find out on the web. The main thing, these ads communicate to the customer. It tells me that HTC's goal is to make a phone that does everything I (me, the customer) want it to do. That's very important.
@John
I personally don't wish it was features but QUALITY that set them apart. Differentiating by features is why there are so many gimmicky, useless features made up.
The commercial tries to capture all human emotions and probably implying that this is an all-around phone everyone can use in all situation. Simply put, it's the ONLY phone you'll need.
It was kind of funny (if you notice) the guy and a girl are making out while the guy records it on his phone! and the narrator said "to remember every moment?". Maybe he'll later upload it on youtube so everyone can see more of his collections! LOL
I saw a similar video ad campaign from HTC that is hilarious and helped increased the sales of an apple app. Yep this isn't a joke if you haven't watched it here's my source:
http://pinoytutorial.com/techtorial/my-touch-3g-video-boosted-ifog-sales/
I saw them all over Chicago and assumed they were Yahoo! related, with their "The Internet's all about you!" thing.
A phone that gets Yiu?
no its a phone that gets y1008u
no wait, I think I've got it,
it's a phone that gets why 100 ate you
Just a picture? Or is it going to become a commercial?
It looks like an ad campaign. Here is a commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lUkF1vVudA
Engadget needs an edit function...
Here is another commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-QhxjJFl7E&feature=channel
@tracknod
Using subliminal messaging are we?
Oh no. It's coming for me...
If this doesn't get you, the droids will, when the conquer earth.
They are most certainly the droids I'm looking for.
(..because I'm sure no one has made that joke before)
Android honestly has yet to impress me at all, its no different than WinMo in the fact that you must burry it under 100 tons of custom uis to have it compete. And the only advantage it has over WinMo is that its a lot more touch friendly. There is nothing impressive about it apart from the fact that it is partially open source, and is made by google (which honestly isnt a huge plus in my book)
Said Schmuck.....
we don't think much of your kind here, schmuck. DOWNRANK!!
I'm sorry, Sir. You've obviously mistaken me for someone who cares what you think. Have a nice day.
You are right in that Winmo has most of these features, and have had them longer. However, where Winmo fails is in its implementation of those features. It is neither intuitive nor even remotely pleasing to the eye. As a Tilt user, the only satisfaction I received from my Winmo device, is when I flashed an HTC Rom with Touch Flo onto it.
This ad has nothing to do with Android, WinMo, or any other OS, but with HTC phones.
Hmm...so with this phone can I say "sudo make me a sandwich"?
Only if your wife is named "sudo".
@sacapuntas:
Which, I have to add, would be quite awkward.
make: *** No rule to make target `me'. Stop.
Oh. I saw a "You" billboard in Fruitvale Station in Oakland. I thought it was graffiti.
LMAO that was awesome, lol thought it was graffiti :)
I feel Don Draper's hand in this. Among other things.
Tee Hee. That man is gorgeous.
Combining the awesomeness of these commercials with the awesome (M)ad man Don Draper? Awesome!
PS I do not support cheating on your wife.
whats with the aweful background?
Its full of awe?
Finally SOMEBODY gets me!
I get you.
I'm gonna get you!
That's what she said
They got it wrong. XDA devs-Quietly brilliant.
@B3astofthe3ast
you're right, they are the ones who kept htc winmo devices alive.
You said it.
HTC devices are plain bad. Qualcomm is an excuse for a processor.
XDA - devs, they are the holding factor.. I am going to buy another HTC device just because of them.
Cause i feel lonely if i buy a device and never ever after get support for it.
Saw this in Kansas City minus the Hero.
Saw a billboard in North Dallas, thought it was for one of those religious ad campaigns. Then I saw this picture. Same font/style. Now I get to see the HTC phones that I don't have everywhere I go. Very encouraging for my morale.
I like this ad campaign, these are very good commercials. I was on HTC's site earlier and the Touch Pro2's page (at least the T-Mobile one) have been You'd up.
i like that song.
and i saw a commercial today for the new droid series from verizon. they really stuck it to that damn iphone
In case people wonder: the song is called "Sinnerman" by Nina Simone. Many people know it from the movie "The Thomas Crown Affair". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn5tiuZU4JI
I knew the tune from the epic Top Gear cheap car film...
Man I always wanted to get HTC WinMo, but I'm starting to think if HTC running Android would be better...
Ahh yes, I knew I recognized the song from somewhere. I really liked that movie, especially that scene.
i know the song as it is sampled in Talib Kweli's "Get By" (Kanye)
Hey, the song is actually Felix Da Housecat *remixing* Nina Simone's "Sinnerman"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9AaKfAt3T8
Pretty clever I muss say. You and i will never go together.
Seems you've heard it before...
Looks decent. Just ordered a GSM Hero myself.
lol is he olding an iPhone in the first video at 0:40
No, it looks like a white HTC Hero GSM version.
@suhaybh
ur doing it wrong
No it cant be an htc hero white, cuz i held my hero the same way and the headphone jack is on the wrong side of the phone, impossible.
Great ad campaign and I love my HTC!
It is pretty amazing how they went from a nobody to making the top-of-the-line phones.
They've always made top-of-the-line phones...
Nicely done... HTC FTW!
here is the press release - http://www.htc.com/europe/press.aspx?id=114924&lang=1033
Nice to see HTC decided to step up and promote themselves as a brand. Now, how about take another step further by telling wireless carriers to stop neutering and locking MY phone.
Well played HTC, Apple and Microsoft. Your up next.
If "i" don't come out with something revolutionary in June or July of next year when my contract ends, then I will find a phone that gets me.
I saw a billboard that said YOU, and since I am in Los Angeles I mistook it as tagging.
is there a reason all their press shots are 10:08?
10:08 is the time they set when making promo and advertising photos of analog watches. so the arrows would line up in a perfect V shape. looks like HTC does the same with digital
Can they PLEASE do something about the horrendously slow/laggy virtual keyboard on the Sprint Hero? I love my Hero except for the keyboard.
A phone that hatec you?
Readers of Engadget, please ignore the annoyance known as Schmuch who for some reason refuses to notice the benefits that have yet to be unlocked from andriod or how Steve Wozniak made home computers possible with the Apple 1 and we should devote our loyalty to Apple for eternity in return.
Oy vey, what a schmuck! Why don't you tweet that to CNN while your at it?
I don't know much about HTC phones, and I wonder if they come in white (like the iPhone?) The reason I ask is that the first commercial at :42 seconds, the man has what looks like an iphone (see the apple logo in the back?) Is it an iPhone? or an white HTC phone with their logo?
Marco
I believe it's a white HTC Hero (the European/Asian version).
It's white HTC HERO. (GSM version)
same as press pictures of casio watches - they always show 10:58 50" on june 30
OMG i have never seen an htc promotion in dallas texas but always a damn white sign with the word you off center on a billboard so i always thought it was either kids doing it or for the new yahoo promotion stuff but now i know lol!
Did HTC say how the hell are YOU going to get the most out of their phone once it is on a network? The iphone is the only phone out there that has an out of box experience that is totally awesome with out with out being hooked on a network. Of course you need the network for the calls but other than that, the functionality is the same.
Just for fun, Apple could release an update to allow one to have a UI like one of them HTC phones while still retaining its power. So why the hell would I choose HTC over iphone? Really! It is a step back. And all that Android shit is pure hype. Google just wants in on the celly so they can pipe your business to their advertisers.
When it comes to my tech, I want good ole fashion support. Iphone has that. Go to the Apple site and just look at the resources they have for the iphone. You're getting your monies worth there. Now go over to MS's site. BLAND AS FUCK! And I've been to the HTC site.Crap. Put it this way, once you go Mac you don't wanna go back!
You just dont say that sort of stuff on engadget... down ranked in, 5....4.....3.....2...
I'm surprised nobody has commented on the unfortunate timing and possible confusion that may arise from Yahoo's You ad campaign which is also in full gear right now.
I thought the same thing. Wasn't 'You' the Time Magazine person of the year two years ago? Or was that 'Me'?
@Schmuck
If WinMo is so great on it's own, why are there so many mods to make WinMo other then WinMo. The iphone mod is about the highest UI mod used on WinMo. I had a HTC touch Pro and spent half my time trying to make it look like and act like something else.
HTC sense is the first custom UI for the Android that has come out. In reality, the only thing added is a lock screen and a slick home screen. Mostly everything else added is a widget which anyone can download from the market. Also, every other Android phone coming out uses Android's original interface. So how is it buried in tons of custom interfaces?!
Obviously you never used an Android phone. How could you be impress if all you do is read about it.
I love it. It's just on it's second gen and it getting so many things right. Even these ads show that HTC gets it. Brilliant indeed. Hats off HTC.
Ok, now that's how you sell advertise an Android phone! None of this geek shit you see for the Motorola Droid.
Although I think they should've shown more of the Android/Sense interface during the montages. Right now, the montage could really be about any phone.
maybe that was the intent.
htc makes more than just android phones. i think the point was that they were promoting themselves as a phone brand, not a specific phone.
These commercials are the death knell of winmo. HTC has clearly shown where they are headed. HTC makes some of the best phones around and I always felt they were held back by the OS that they ran. Now that I lost my Iphone, I have something HTC makes in my future.
Well F**K. They finally got to me. First thing I thought of when watching this was that stupid Scientology ad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1RaKWS6jb4
..I've been seeing a stupid banner ad about it all day on one of my sites I frequent daily because Firefox with AdBlock was crashing on me so I had to use Chrome..and I knew it was going to get to me subconsciously no matter how hard I tried to ignore it. Blah.
Great ad HTC. Just horrible memories on my account.
Nice and simplistic ad campaign. I like it.
And it shows how the many flavours of androids allows for several different ways of marketing a common platform.
This is what Palm should have done.
In soviet Russia, you get cellphone.
*sigh* Sure, HTC's coming out with great phones and nice advertising, but their support *sucks*.
I've been out my G1 for over a week and a half while their half-brained RMA technicians 'diagnose' the fact my G1's touch screen is faulty.
Stupid hippy ads.
Not brilliant if they keep making crap with WinMo installed.
Ahh yes! Look at all those T-mo phones! Suck on that AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon users -- Tmo, HTC, and Project Dark are making you JEALOUS!
seriously I'm canceling my contract with T-mobile... I can't handle being reminded every 2 seconds how crappy my Moto Z3 RIZR is.
Y0UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
Oooh! I really like the music in the background. Anyone know if it's from somewhere else or if its an original composition. Thumbs up HTC!
I love my Hero. It's a great phone.
i love these commercials. And great touch in the last 5 seconds. Kickball!!