BlackBerry's new Creative Director is...

I examined BB a year ago for a business class. My conclusion was that they have no understanding of why customers buy cel phones. I would be disappointed about the Alicia Keys thing if I thought that the company had any clue about what it’s doing. Instead, it merely confirms my conclusion.

I think I’m going to start sending my CV around to big companies asking for a Creative Director position:

"Sir or Madam,

My name is Ray and I would like to apply for the position of Creative Director.

I’ve heard that your company has been interviewing pop stars for this position, but I believe my education and experience qualify me for the position. Yes, I can not sing, no one would pay me to shake my booty and I’m not used to taking large amounts of cocaine to endure 24 hour parties. However, I do have a bachelor’s degree in design and 10 years experience creating products that have had market success.

Please call me to arrange an interview at 555.392.9878."

Last, Lady Gaga has experience in precision optics? I really need to set my sights higher when looking for jobs. Here is a person who barely suceeded in getting a high school degree, went to art school for a year and then seemed very busy touring and recording music. Somehow she managed to become a precision optics expert at the same time. Wow…that’s some wide and diverse hobbies she has…

I think Lady Gaga’s experience in “precision optics” = she has worn some crazy eyeglasses.

R

Heck yeah! I know 3 cords! That qualifies me right?

you’re on a roll!

Lets not forget Victoria Beckham at Land Rover. How did that work out?

The term Jumped the Shark is all that runs through my head.

If I were CEO and wanted to put a face to “innovation” and my options were either me or Alicia Keys, I’d go with Alicia Keys.

It’s either that or spending the next 3 hours explaining to your average Joe or Josephine what is industrial design.

But I am a lazy man and prefer the path of least resistance.

I can’t disagree with the opinions about celebrity pr stunts, but on the other hand BB is not just groping at straws here. They’re making a concerted effort to appeal to their last hope, albeit a desperate one:

Ya, I’d agree that they took the lazy route. Also why I believe they’re going to fall flat on their face…or more to the point, I now hope they fail. There’s far too many other options out there that are “good enough”.

iab: I’d hire you. You would make a kick-butt design. I would present it and the media would be so busy talking about how great it is, they wouldn’t notice that Alicia Keys wasn’t standing next to me at the introduction.

I love how Apple does everything in public and their competitors still can’t manage to come close…

Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.

I’m too ugly. The media would be distracted about anything that doesn’t have substance.

iab: What do you think the percentage of Apple users who recognize Johnny Ive is? 1%? It’s the product that matters…

That’s my point. Trying to educate 99% of the people is pointless and expensive. It is much easier to sell a me-too product with a face that 99% do recognize. It’s RIM’s only hope because they have nothing else.

It’s RIM’s only hope because they have nothing else.

Oh, I dunno… even though I live in California, I buy motorcycle parts from MAXBMW in North Hampton, NH partly because they include a package of M&M Peanuts with every order.

Hey, gimmicks work!

I was a little disappointed tonight they didn’t introduce Alicia Keys when she came on stage at the Super Bowl as Blackberry’s Creative Director. :frowning:

Quite well, didn’t it yo if i remember correctly? Like or loathe her public personality and the posh/becks media lifestyle, she’s won over enough of the fashion gatekeepers to make me think she’s not all smoke and mirrors.

Did it?

Design: Doesn’t seem to have impacted their design much.

PR: they don’t seem to use her much.

I can’t remember seeing her in anything since the launch of the Evoque concept.