I read a lot of websites from companies that sell one kind of technology or another so I get to see a lot of slick marketing.  When it’s done well I don’t notice it, but when it’s over the top it’s sickening.  The over-cheery images marketers will use of people using a clients product or service is worse when it’s out of context.

If you’re selling shirts, yes you want smiling models wearing your shirt doing fun things.  Enjoying a laugh is okay.  But often in technology you’re selling a product that doesn’t or shouldn’t illicit a bursting happy response.  It’s just not appropriate for the product.  Much of the most innovative and useful consumer technologies exist so we don’t have to think about it.  The highest praise we can give such a product is to no longer notice it.

Take VoIP services for instance.  The purpose of subscribing to a VoIP service is to NOT think about how much money you’re spending on a call.  So in essence what VoIP services sell is the elimination of something.  High praise for a VoIP service is to forget you’re using it.

This gentleman is a Speakeasy customer who is thrilled to be talking long distance and only paying $25 a month for unlimited access to North America.  Okay, that’s probably enough to make me smile too for about a month, then I’d probably forget about it.  He’s had that same grin for at least a year!

The WORST are those online mail order DVD rentals.  I like a good belly laugh from the antics of Martin Lawrence as much as the next guy.  That scene with the flashlight in Big Momma’s bed was classic cinema.

These customers of Zip.ca will concur, they love that scene too, just look at them.

Martin Lawrence sure is funny; “It’s just Big Momma’s flashlight … so she can see at night.”  Too much!

This family who gets movies from Netflix loves the antics of Martin Lawrence too.  I’m not sure the kids completely get it, maybe they think it’s funny to have a flashlight in bed. 

This example on www.peerflix.com, another online DVD rental service did it for me.  This image scares me.  There is way too much expensive dental work showing in this marketing image of a group of good looking young people enjoying a peerflix rental. 

I’m not sure I want to use the service these people are apparently “on”.

This image from Peerflix was so shocking to me I emailed them.  To Peerflix’s credit one of their customer reps actually replied.  Good job Peerflix, but please do something about that image.  Here is the exchange between peerflix and I.

-----Original Message-----
From: Wayde
Subject: front page

those people on your front page look WAY TOO happy to be watching a movie.  Just go to www.peerflix.com.  I was a little taken back by it, it's just a movie, not an acid trip.
I am afraid to use peerflix.

Wayde

Peerflix: Feedback <support-reply@peerflix.com> wrote:

Hello Wayde

Thank you for contacting Peerflix Support.

We do our very best to review all our member's comments in order to find ways to improve the overall experience as well as the performance of our site. We really appreciate you taking the time to write into us and will forward your input to our development team to see if we can find ways to fix there grins;)

Peerflix is an exciting new company with many satisfied members, I hope you will reconsider activating your membership with Peerflix.

If you have any further questions or concerns, feel free to send us feedback. We love to hear from you!

Sincerely,

Clara
Peerflix Support

Thanks for the response Clara.  She’s a real trooper.  I don't know what's in that popcorn but they should sell it by the gram.

Maybe someday we’ll get more realistic, human individuals in advertising.  Like this young man. 

He’s young and impressionable enough, the perfect demographic to for marketers.  If he gets hooked on VoIP or online DVD rentals he's got a lifetime of service ahead of him.  He can definitely afford it, just look at that wad of cash.  He’s probably pretty good with those nunchaks.  Oh he looks hard, but give him a Martin Lawrence DVD rental from Netflix and he'll be all smiles and giggles just like a little kid.