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posted on:
7/13/2012 8:54:19 PM EST
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Take a Break...Have A Laugh
compaq, IBM, john cleese, nostalgia, stinking fish, stinking fish and technology
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Stinking fish being used to sell technology – now you have to admit that sounds like a stretch.
In a world where we get all those flashy ads from Apple, IBM, Dell, HP and co telling us how fantastic their products are, it’s hard to think that stinking fish would feature as a comparison for technology.
In the 1980‘s selling technology was a bit different (to say the least) and all manner of techniques were used.
Compaq was a big rival to IBM and liked to compare their product directly to IBM. The person they used was none other than John Cleese. If you know John Cleese, then the use of stinking fish to sell technology is not an unusual fit.
Selling was different in the 1980's
The 1980's (which for some of you will be something you have heard of but never experienced), was a time when Television ruled the world. No internet, computer networks were “stone age”, and home PC’s were just beginning to make their mark. The founders of Facebook and Twitter were either not born or running around in their diapers.
The only way to get your message out to the masses was through television. So effective ad campaigns, using embryonic technology, were all the rage. So using stinking fish to sell technology seemed a logical fit. Nothing like a bit of humour to sell a product back then.
Here is the ad from Compaq with John Cleese and stinking fish.
youtu.be/RlmzwZXa-Ww
Some things to note
What I love about this ad is comparing it to what we have today and what was “state of the art” then.
I love the “compactness” of the portable PC being sold. Could you imagine lugging that to work everyday!!! It would be like carrying a portable TV with you everywhere (no wonder us older folks walk with a lean – courtesy of counterbalancing the weight we were carrying around). A stinking fish would be lighter (and you get to eat it as well).
The screen size is fantastic (fantastically small) – no wonder I have to wear glasses these days to read.
And the 4.1MB of memory – WOW!!! No wonder they compared it to a stinking fish and not another computer back then.
Only John Cleese could pull of this type of ad – it really is a classic piece of salesmanship. Here’s to you John (and your stinking fish)!!!
PS: Like stinking fish and portable PC’s, comparing internet marketing of the 1990's/early 2000's to today is the same. If you want to succeed in online marketing today you need to understand how things have changed. If you are serious about establishing a presence online you need to look at this. bit.ly/MXlTda
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 | | Great post Bruce, thanks for sharing it. Tweet for you |
| | |  | | Very Very Good one Indeed. Folks you gotta read this one now
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