Research In Motion Limited (TSE:RIM) (NADAQ:RIMM) has started a new advertising campaign aimed squarely at turning customers away from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). The new campaign entitled “Wake Up” follows in the footsteps of several other similar campaigns seeking to increase their own successes by pointing out perceived flaws in the most popular and certainly most iconic smartphone, Apple’s iPhone. The campaign is being run in Australia in conjunction with the company’s Australian marketing company Tongue.
A website launched today at wakeupbebold.com opens with a message from the company to mean business and be different. The simple website, which is complete in scrolling white text on a black background, displays the slogan Wake Up. Be Bold. and the Blackberry logo linking to the firm’s main website. The general theme of the text is to be different and not go along with the crowd like a “cork in a stream”.
Whether or not it will work is something that will have to be seen though the website is underwhelming. It’s success will certainly depend on future moves made. More demonstrations like the one in Sydney will certainly grab the attention of the public but whether or not it will cause customers to buy Blackberrys it is difficult to know.
The company is waiting for its new Blackberry 10 range of phones in order to revitalize its business. The devices are expected to be released later this year, in Autumn or Winter, though the OS was initially demonstrated last week. Research In Motion’s business has been in extreme difficulty lately as the firm has fallen behind in the competitive smartphone market.
The first shot of the campaign was fired in a demonstration at an Apple store in Sydney Australia where a bus load of protesters gathered holding signs asking people to wake up. The incident was initially blamed on Samsung who before ran campaigns aimed at Apple. Research in Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) later claimed responsibility for the incident.
This campaign follows in the footsteps of others that have set their cross hairs on Apple’s business in order to increase their own. Samsung ran such a campaign for its Galaxy Note device and Nokia ran a “Smart Phone Beta Test” campaign in the run up to its Lumia 900 release. Blackberry will be hard pressed to stand out from the crowd even as that is central to the campaign message. Tough times are certainly ahead for the firm and today’s campaign won’t save the company.
