HP is a company which prides itself by being there for the customer. Some of the companies shared values are:
Putting the customer first in everything they do.
Working together in a trustworthy, respecful and dignified environment.
Achieving results promptly.
Being open, honest and direct in their dealings.
(all of these can be found on the HP website)
HP seems to be a company that is very good to their customers, and honest. HP is company I feel I can trust.
Has HP benefited since realeasing the hand ads?
I looked up HPs stock report on MSN. The HP hand ads were released about a year ago… it seems that the stock hasn’t had any major gains or losses since then. Of course the stock has gone up and down, but right now it is at about the same exact price as it was one year ago.
Visually these ads are an A+ in my book. They get my attention because of how colorful they are, how awesome the animation is done, the style, everything just hits the spot. If i were to go out right now and buy a laptop I would definetly go for the HP, as a matter of fact I am doing this blog on my HP desktop. Not that HP does anything different than any other computer, but, I think of the style of the ads and I just am drawn to them. When analyzing an ad visually you must ask yourself a couple of questions:
What do you see?
How does the style look to the eye? The colors and designs are hip, fresh, yet very artistic. Even the font used is artistic and new. Each ad is different because the celebrity in it is different. Just like the end of the ad states “the computer is personal again”. Like Jay-Z, the following Pharrell ad doesn’t have much excitement, but at least he’s not being fake. This is Pharrell, laid back, cool, collected, Or at least that’s what the ad portrays. The word choice in these ads differs from person to person. Words are chosen based on the person saying them. Pharrell, the rapper is not going to say the same words as Coelho, an author.
What is it about?
It is obvious what this ad is about. It’s about reinventing HP. HP has been around for a long time, but only in the last few years have they been back on the top in laptop sales because they are gearing ads towards younger people. Not only young people though, hip people, anyone looking for a fresh laptop. Not a boring old gateway. It’s about the person using the laptop.
To what does it relate?
HP relates to younger people, probably eighteen to mid thirties, which is actually a pretty impressive age range. Not only does it draw in that age group, but all kinds of people from those ages, all of the different celebrities they use are from completely different sides of the spectrum.
What details matter?
In this case I feel that all of the details matter. The ads want you to focus on the visual theme: the colors, the brightness, the graphics, everything. Not only do the HP “hand” ads focus on the visual rhetoric, but also the words that the celebrities use, the jokes, etc. ALL of the details matter!
In the fourth week of this class we read The Six Tugs of War by Roy Williams, or at least part of it. The Six Tugs of War are ways at analyzing advertisements usually by comparing two similar yet different points: intellect vs. emotion, oppurtunity vs. security, etc. This is the particular approach I am taking to analyze the HP “hand” ads. I believe that this covers many aspects of the advertisement so that we can see the ads in a couple different ways. At first glance I’m sure you would agree that these are good ads. Maybe even great ads, they look good, they sound good, they grasp the attention of the audience. But lets use The Six Tugs of War and see if the ads hold up, I only used the five that I found most important and could relate most to my ads.
1. Intellect vs. Emotion
Williams says that inetellect and emotion are not connected, and a ad writer must choose whether to speak to the customer’s intellect or to the customer’s emotions. An example of an emotional ad is one that reminds the viewer of something he or she has always known. Examples of these advertisements of than the HP hand ads in my opinion are ones that are filmed in homes. Families sitting around the table, usually advertising for some kind of food. Intellectual advertisements on the other hand would be rationalizing why you need to have a product. A credit card advertisement for example, the plum mastercard. Why shouldn’t you have this credit card when there is no interest for up to a year?
The HP ads fall more towards the intellectual form of advertising. There are some aspects that could be argued are emotional. For example if you relate a lot toJerry Seinfeld, maybe you watch his show religiously. That could have a certain emotional effect on you. But I think mostly these ads push more towards intellect. You need to own the HP laptop because you can hold all of your pictures, music, surf the web, etc. Why wouldn’t you need an HP laptop?
Each of the HP hand ads that you’ve seen basically are saying the same things, just in different ways. Because each individual is saying they store pictures on their HP, but different pictures are shown. This is how they keep the ads interesting. Saying the same thing, but using different celebrities. Take a look at the Serena Williams ad, wouldn’t you agree that it is quite similar if you really break it down and look at what is being said?
2. Time vs. Money
Basically time vs. money is focusing on where you buy the product. Is it easier to go to walmart, deal with the lines, the hundreds of people, and parking, or is it easier to go to a store which is a little more expensive but less people, quieter, easy to park, and as soon as you find what you’re looking for you can cash out, without waiting in line.
Unfortunately, the ads we are analyzing really don’t fall into either category. The ads never tell you how much the HP computers cost, or where to buy them. The ads are simply just throwing HPs name out there, so when you are shopping for a new computer online, at the store, whatever it may be, you’ll recognize the brand and hopefully buy it.
3. Oppurtunity vs. Security
“The only fool greater than the one who expects big results from small changes is the fool who believes big changes can be accomplished without risk”.
This is my favorite line of the entire reading by Williams. I believe that it is so true in every aspect of life. But in this case we are talking HP. Oppurtunity vs. security basically means would you rather be secure in what you’re buying or is the product your buying offering you some sort of oppurtunity. What can you gain from buying an HP laptop? Really you’re getting what you would get with any laptop. That is why when analyzing the ads I would say they are offering security rather than oppurtunity. The reason for this is when the celebrities are saying all of their favorite things are on their HPs you think of what would be on your HP. All of your music, games, papers, your instant messanger where you can chat with friends, pictures of vacations you’ve taken. These things have a way of comforting you, and making you feel secure.
4. Style vs. Substance
Style in this case does not mean the look of the ad, it actually is referring to whether the ad is selling the product on its own merits or selling the product by associating it to other things. For example, Axe Body Spray commercials really never explain the actual product, instead they say that when you use the spray women will flock to you because you’ll smell so good. An example of a product that uses its own merits to sell itself are the Samuel Adams commercials. During the ads they explain how the beer is made, what it’s made of, etc.
Now, the question is which does the HP “hand” ads fall?
I would say HP focuses on the substance of the computer. It may be argued that in some ways style comes into play. The celebrites kind of ad that side, using this brand of computer will make you like Jerry Seinfeld. But instead of saying how the computer makes you like Seinfeld, they show the benefits of using HP.
5. Sight vs. Sound
Sound stays with us for five seconds after hearing it.
Sight leaves us one second after seeing it.
Visually the HP ads are amazing. the colors, pictures, everything is perfect in my opinion. When it comes to sound the ads also do very well. But in a different way than most ads. Most ads focus on music, or sound effects, action sounds, etc. HP focuses on the celebrities voice and the first time viewing it you try and figure out who it is that’s doing the talking.Paulo Coelho’s ad is amazing for the sound aspect. Each word that is said is eloquent and beautiful.
Previously I discussed the Jay-Z commercial for the HP “hand” ad campaign that I’m analyzing. The Jay-Z ad is my least favorite of the HP ads. My favorite on the other hand is this one, featuring author Paulo Coelho.
This is the shortest of the HP “hand” ads, but I think visually it is the most appealing. The colors and the animations look very cool. Before Jay-Z didn’t sound very excited, but Coelho sounds passionate about what he’s talking about. Unfortunately it is hard to sell something when the person advertising it doesn’t even sound excited about it. Not only is the commercial visually appealing but also the rhetoric Coelho uses sounds beautiful. His words flow together very nicely, it really intrigues me and keeps me watching.
Another HP “hand” ad which is done really well is featuring comedian Jerry Seinfeld.
The Seinfeld ad is taking a different direction. Instead of being visually captivating it focuses more on the humor and the speaker. But the point is still being acknowledged, the features and benefits of having an HP computer.
In the next blog I will be analyzing these ads further using the advertising theory The Six Tugs of War by Roy H. Williams.
We have all seen the HP hand advertisements. There are probably seven or eight of different ads featuring celebrities and athletes but showing only their hands and listening to their voices. The very first of these ads featured Jay-Z the popular rap mogul, as well as clothing designer, producer, amongst other things.
This is my least favorite of the HP hand ads, maybe because it is the first of many and they hadn’t perfected the ads just yet. The other ones are very colorful and much more lively. The rapper, Jay-Z sounds bored, even if that is how he talks regularly I think he was a poor choice, at least for this particular ad when the voice is really all we have to focus on.
After this commercial aired there was an article questioning whether HP would be successful with it’s new campaign. The name of the article was ‘Will Hip Ad Boost Laptop Sales for HP?’. Slate ad critic Seth Stevenson says “Hewlett Packard’s ads are visually captivating, but might not work if consumers don’t connect the product to the pretty pictures”. I see where Stevenson is coming from, especially from the Jay-Z ad. But the later ads are visually captivating as well as connecting individuals to the product.
In further blogs I will be analyzing other HP “hand” ads as well as looking at the company which produces those ads.
