Comments on: Dear Blackberry: “Playbook” is a great name. If you’re Nintendo.

By: Len Olszewski

Len Olszewski — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 20:53:19 +0000

A year and a half ago my financial guy said I should get RIM into my portfolio. He wanted me to sell my shares in Apple to do this. Apple had fallen to $87 a share while RIM had reached a high of $85. The brander in me came out and I said no way. RIM will never be able to capture the imaginations of smart phone users as the iPhone did.

Sadly, they have just shot themselves in the foot with the brand name for their tablet. Trying to be two things at the same time appealing to two different targets at the same time has never worked. Well, maybe it did for Miller Lite in the seventies.

This followed the similar mistakes they made in trying to compete in the consumer segment instead of building on their reputation in the business segment. this is so fundamental that you have to wonder where they got their marketing people from.

By: Jacinto Train

Jacinto Train — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 01:15:25 +0000

I´ts stonelike to believe we love evolved so often in so lowercase instant when compared to added frames. Inalterable 10 years really were definitive when it comes to field and gadgets

By: Dennis Van Staalduinen

Dennis Van Staalduinen — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:46:35 +0000

You’re right. They nailed the product – I seriously want one – but showed again their tin ear for brand strategy.

It’s amazing how they keep doing this, when in the same country, there must be qualified brand gurus just ITCHING to tell them how to get their branding right. Know any? ;c{)}

By: Dennis Van Staalduinen

Dennis Van Staalduinen — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:42:39 +0000

Funny. Or perhaps they could just do a jacked-up, chrome plated and bling-bedecked version and call it the “Play-ah-Book”. “Yo, dude got his honeyz in dat Play-ah-Book, straight up.”

By: Rob Bosveld

Rob Bosveld — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:26:38 +0000

Perhaps RIM considers a career in the (soft)porn industry?
After PlayBook they might introduce the PentBook, ChickBook etc…

By: Lauren Hughes

Lauren Hughes — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:26:49 +0000

Thank you Mr. Differ!

Absolutely correct, this was obvious to me as well. It pains me to see RIM making this mistake.

While I was initially skeptical at the idea, the execution of the product has been fantastic: make it smaller than the iPad, and design it to work in conjunction with the bberry – connect to it to share internet connection and information. Perfect. Differentiator. Business users will love it. Let’s call it the PLAYbook?!?!?! WTF??

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

RIM, this is (was) your one chance to pull back into the race – by fortifying your position in the business market. BBM is great, but it can’t compete with the iPhone in the long-term. The name Playbook does not accomplish that. It does not describe the product, and the imagery it creates is simply wrong.

By: Annie @ PhD in Parenting

Annie @ PhD in Parenting — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:59:12 +0000

I agree that it isn’t great, but better than being compared to women’s menstrual products.

By: Dennis Van Staalduinen

Dennis Van Staalduinen — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:22:11 +0000

Blackpad wasn’t the right name either, but you’re right, it’s marginally better. At least it has a “stealth-tool” edge to it that the more prosaic “Playbook” lacks.

But to really underline the professional nature of the product, I would have steered them towards something simple like “Blackberry Tablet” with a version number to allow growth. Blackberry is the brand.

By: Brant Emery

Brant Emery — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:40:12 +0000

Absolutely agree! First thing I thought when I saw the name. Don’t know which genius thought of that positioning gambit, but it’s poor Play! (excuse the pun).

BlackPad – itself pretty awful, would have been better. Unless this is marking a historic change in overall market positioning…