BlackBerry launches campaign for the 7 OS; welcomes users to the 'BlackBerry family'

More than 35 per cent of BlackBerry's overall marketing spends have been earmarked for this campaign.

In a bid to promote its latest offering, the 7 OS (operating system), BlackBerry has rolled out an integrated advertising campaign that uses TV as the lead medium.

More than 35 per cent of BlackBerry's overall marketing spends have been earmarked for this campaign.

The 45-second film features a young boy walking down the street with the product in his hand, receiving warm smiles and nods of acknowledgment. Towards the end of the film, the boy approaches a BlackBerry store and 'high-fives' another youngster walking out with his newly-purchased 7 OS. A male VO (voiceover) says, "Welcome to the BlackBerry," going on to announce the arrival of this latest variant.

Created by BBDO India, the campaign attempts to position the BlackBerry as something that unites owners such that just by virtue of owning the brand, complete strangers feel as though they are on common ground, almost like being part of a BlackBerry community.

Over the last two years, the brand's TG (target group) has expanded to involve a wide range of people, including teenagers, as well as 50-55 year-olds.

Interestingly, consumer research by the brand team revealed that 15-25 year-olds have the highest propensity to buy a smartphone over the next one year. This is why, though the TG for this product is ubiquitous across ages, this campaign features youngsters.

Though tactically centred on the new range of BlackBerry smartphones, the ad also attempts to strike an emotional chord with consumers. Commenting on this amalgamation of functional and emotional appeals, Krishnadeep Baruah, director, marketing, RIM (Research In Motion) India, tells afaqs! that this approach is consistent with BlackBerry's communication in the recent past.

"As you convey product benefits, it is important to convey emotions around the product. Over the past 18 months, most BlackBerry campaigns, across media, have been about product propositions or new devices, and yet had emotion attached to them," he says, recalling previous campaigns in the same space, such as Vodafone's 'We are the BlackBerry Boys' TVC by Ogilvy India, and the 'Are You Missing Something Without BMM?' ad campaign by Orchard Advertising.

Interestingly, one of the TVCs in Orchard's four-film campaign was also about a youngster, who while taking a morning jog, receives acknowledgement for a new car he recently bought, all thanks to his BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) status update. When asked about the uncanny resemblance between that film and the current one by BBDO, Baruah says, "The current film is not a conscious extension of the previous campaign, but there is some consistency between the two as both ads highlight the immediate connect between BlackBerry users."

He, however, goes on to point out a crucial difference between the two films. "The earlier film highlights how BBM brings BlackBerry users closer as the instant messenger feature is something that keeps a select group of close friends connected. The current film, on the other hand, highlights the instant connect that absolute strangers share by virtue of having the BlackBerry in common," Baruah declares.

Varun Mehta, special creative director, BBDO India, and writer of the new BlackBerry film, shares details about the ideation stage of this campaign. During the creative and strategy discussions, he shares, the team was bent on creating a simple campaign that conveyed beyond doubt that BlackBerry owners are a community.

"One of the great competitive advantages that BlackBerry has is its community -- a sense of belonging comes naturally with ownership, whether it is due to the device itself, or its services such as BBM or push mail. The BlackBerry world is a rather social place," explains Mehta, adding that it makes strategic sense to leverage these strengths of the brand in its advertising.

In the days ahead, the brand plans more communication efforts to amplify the current proposition of the 'BlackBerry family'.