*Off Topic* Dell Ads, Linux

dave17lax

Inventor of the Egg Wave
If America's attention span is really this bad, what is next...

Around 6 months ago Dell started some ads with two IT guys. The guys in the ads would say something, and text would pop up showing "what they are really thinking". I can't find an example on the web, but here's one..

"Haven't seen you in awhile, how's business?"
Meaning: Where have you been? I need to network for a new job!

"Oh fine, we just installed Dell blah blah blah"
Meaning: We're rolling in dough...


This got on my nerves because one of the commercials mentions "A proprietary linux system" and how the guy is really thinking that they have too much overhead; maybe a "bleeding" IT dept.

As if.

Now, within the last week or two, Dell has come out with commercials that laud Dell's cooperation with linux based systems. Example:

"We're running a linux cluster of Dell Xeon to the 3rd power blade server blah blah blah"
Meaning: We're rolling in dough.


I am sure that someone out there has seen these ads, and it really chaps my hide that this stupid company would A) be stupid enough to crap on linux a few months ago, B) be audacious enough to act like best buds now.

It seems to me that a marketing department would have enough sense to send out some feelers and understand the market before making broad statements like this. The anti-linux sentiment may work fine for consumer sales, but these are server ads. There are no interns, or the delldude, it's a couple of unlikely IT guys that once knew each other, before one "saw the light" and got his company to go with Dell.

I want to throw up.
 
qwikstreet said:
I recall those ads. I hated them and all Dell ads.

I also had the "privilage" to view those ads, and they disgusted me as well.....it is kind of funny how some do business nowadays....blah.
 
dave17lax said:
I want to throw up.
Tell them, let them know how their advertising is not very effective. Maybe they'll actually listen to you.

Personally, I hate the Dell dude with a passion.
 
I do remember the adds but don't remember exactally what was said. You recall them as having called it a properity linux based system? If that's the case perhaps they were targeting companies that use a properity based system. I have come across many companies that are using such. The software does not exist out side of their server room and was designed years ago. Usually by some outside company that no longer exists. Only the current IT guys would know anything about it making it impossible to hire new staff.


Citizen - I hate the Dell adds too - Tony
 
I have, through my work, met a guy who was on the marketing team at Dell (no names, don't ask). I had to ask "err, you weren't responsible for those 'Dude, you're getting a Dell ads,' are you?"
He shuffled his feet a little and said, "Well, we actually handed that campaign to an outside agency, and they pretty much talked us into it."
Apparently the agency was pitching at the "youth demographic" and in true advertising-executive style, managed to confuse youth with stupidity.
To be honest though, many IT industry ad campaigns fail to treat their audience with the respect we deserve. Management might not know their LDAP server from a coffee machine, but they do know the issues and problems facing the industry.
 
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