Who's the kid on the commercials?

[Leo J Mauler]

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 17:59:32 -0600 <kurt at verruckt.org> writes:
> From: "Robert Kennedy" <erwin_k_r at yahoo.com>
> 
> > Hi All,
> >
> > My wife always says that nobody has ever heard of
> > Linux and that I'm dumb to run it.
> >
> > We Watched the Chiefs game together. She never even
> > noticed the Linux references.
> >
> > Best,
> >
> > Bob Kennedy
> 
> My wife knows (thinks) that linux is some geek 1337 os. 
> I have told her the main differences. She understands the 
> inferences in the commercials.  IMO the commercials are 
> not geared towards joe average. They are geared 
> towards the "decision makers". Am I wrong here?  I know 
> we all see them, and understand them. But remember, we 
> are not the intended audience...

I'm reminded of an earlier IBM commercial about its new Linux servers.  

Its the one where some senior manager calls the cops after a huge room
that used to be full of minicomputers is down to one server way in the
back.  They come into the room and the manager talks about how the room
used to be full of computers.

Then an engineer/IT guy wanders in, and the manager asks him to tell the
cops the same thing, that someone has stolen their servers.  The
engineer/IT guy says that no, nothing's been stolen, they just discovered
they could run all their servers off one IBM server running Linux.  He
points to the one remaining server in the room while saying this.

The engineer/IT guy sits there smirking, and the senior manager is
embarassed.  Apparently none of the cops has any IT experience either,
because they are flabbergasted too.

Now, we're all tuned to hearing references to Linux, and the main point
of this commercial was "IBM And *Linux* Can Save Your Business A Lot Of
Money (Provided You Don't Waste A Huge Room On One Server Like These
Fools Were Doing)".  But the word "Linux" is mentioned exactly once,
while the visual references and other spoken words of the commercial
emphasize not the HOW it was done, but the WHY: Your Business Will Save
Tons Of Money.

The fact is that while WE are interested in hearing references to Linux
on TV, most people who would benefit from Linux don't need to know
anything about a server which is Saving Their Business Money other than
*how much* it is saving them.  The fact that it is running Linux and thus
Saving Their Business Money is more of an afterthought.

________________________________________________________________
The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!