Remember when the BlackBerry Storm came out last year? Verizon hawked it everywhere possible. Magazine ads, billboards, TV commercials, contests… The BlackBerry Storm was the most hyped BlackBerry ever.
Move up a year and Verizon didn’t even officially announce the BlackBerry Storm2 until 2 days before the the device became available. Verizon didn’t market the BlackBerry Storm2 before it’s release at all. Whether they will now that it is available remains to be seen.
That being said, it is hard to miss the buzz in front of the upcoming Verizon Droid, which Verizon just happens to be marketing the heck out of. Word on the street is that Verizon is creating an interactive experience named Droid Does Times Square where people will be able to control both the Reuters and NASDAQ digital billboards.
Do a Google search for Verizon BlackBerry Storm2 (at the time of this posting) and you don’t get a single sponsored ad for the Verizon BlackBerry Storm2. You may actually get a sponsored ad for the Droid (among the general flurry of no deposit casinos ads). Search for Verizon Droid, and you most certainly do. Probably several of them.
There is no question, at least from initial advertising efforts which device Verizon is betting on.
Are you surprised? There have been so many complaints and quibbles over the performance of the Storm 1 that Verzion aren’t willing to stake their reputation on a damaged brand name. RIM made a massive error coming to market with the Storm 1 when it plainly wasn’t ready. They should have waited and done more development and brought it out 12 months later when it would probably have been ready. Instead they came to market with an inferior product offering and they got burned.
I’ll never buy RIM products again because of the problems I’ve experienced with Storm 1.
Not really as far as Verizon is concerned. I am a bit surprised that RIM hasn’t provided more hype for the Storm2. They need for this device to be a success.
I concur Robb, they do need for it to do well and it probably will do well. There are so many people who buy into this brand loyalty thing that it kind of makes me want to puke! I work in Marketing (the mobile kind so SMS etc) and I’ve got no brand loyalty in this field. I’ve had Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Motorola and RIM and the reason I move is because I want the best I can get and I’ll go where I need to get it. Right now it’s a toss up between HTC and iPhone. The major reason iPhone is in the lead is because the network carrying HTC in Ireland hasn’t the best coverage!
verizon killed the storm 1 with crippling demands. Now RIM is no longer in the front seat with verizon and has gained a poor reputation. RIM got screwed and now moto is in the front seat to suck on verizon’s teet. verizon’s desperation and lies to try and fool people into thinking anything comes close to Apple and the iPhone running on standard, open, global GSM is making fools of many people and many manufactures. RIM had a shot with the Storm 1 however RIM made the mistake in making a deal with verizon instead of other service providers, now people are holding back when it comes to RIM and RIM’s new Storm 2.
Here’s to iPhone and Blackberry users, and others being able to see thru verizon’s latest desperate moves of deception.
Experts Say Verizon-Motorola Droid is No IPhone Slayer
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Experts-Say-VerizonMotorola-Droid-is-No-iPhone-Slayer-684628/
That’s nice article and all, but, what does it have to do with Verizon’s relationship with RIM?