TV commercials? [Archive]

IndyFIRSTengineer

07-21-2004, 12:51 PM

Well I don't really like the "connotation" that goes along with this word, but I wonder how well an info-mercial would do? It would certainly be a great way to demonstrate the fun AND practicality of Segway use ...

Stuart Bloom - Rolls-Royce Corporation
FIRST Team 1018 - Pike High School "RoboDevils"

“Who goes out and says, ‘You have a better probability of winning the state lottery than making a nickel in professional sports. And by the way, last year two million exciting technical jobs went unfilled in this country because you weren't there to take that job. And it pays you 10 times as much as flipping burgers, and it's fun and it's exciting and you get to create things and build things and help make the world a better place and help make yourself a better living.’ Who tells them this?”
Dean Kamen, founder - FIRST Robotics

sholloway

07-21-2004, 02:12 PM

They may have run (probably did run). I have DIRECTV and they bought commercials on Cable so I won't see them. I will have to have a neighbor verify that they are running. Thankfully there was a logical reason I didn't see them.

Sal

07-21-2004, 02:22 PM

Infomercials... As long as they don't run alongside the Abroller, or Ron Popeill, or any of the other crap that is sold during regular informercial time! LOL

And another thing: DO NOT HIRE wirey British men who have a thick accent, wear suspenders and glasses... That won't work.

;)

-Sal

Think Different / Answers that Matter
www.apple.com / www.lilly.com

sholloway

07-21-2004, 09:53 PM

Ben, do you have cable? If so, check The Daily Show tonight at 11PM and let me know if you see it if you have a chance. Thanx.

IndyFIRSTengineer

07-21-2004, 11:55 PM

Do we know what any of these commercials look like? I would hope they would be available for us somewhere on the internet, or at least as digital files we could share here ...

Stuart Bloom - Rolls-Royce Corporation
FIRST Team 1018 - Pike High School "RoboDevils"

“Who goes out and says, ‘You have a better probability of winning the state lottery than making a nickel in professional sports. And by the way, last year two million exciting technical jobs went unfilled in this country because you weren't there to take that job. And it pays you 10 times as much as flipping burgers, and it's fun and it's exciting and you get to create things and build things and help make the world a better place and help make yourself a better living.’ Who tells them this?”
Dean Kamen, founder - FIRST Robotics

Dwarf84396

07-22-2004, 12:06 AM

Sholloway,

I'll give it a shot, if I don't fall asleep first, or get thrown upstairs by the parental units. :)

Ben

My entire internet experience condensed into one little image:
http://ben.runslinux.net/img/smileys_lurking.gif

Dwarf84396

07-22-2004, 01:21 AM

Nope, it was a flop. No Segway ads, no nuthin'. (It could have also been that they played the July 12, 2004 episode, but all of the other ads were up to date.)

<rant>
LLC, where are the ads? YOU NEED TO START THE MARKETING TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC!!!
</rant>

But to anyone from LLC who reads this, can we, as forum members, at least see some sort of ad that would be displayed to the general public? We all want to know what is going on.

Ben

My entire internet experience condensed into one little image:
http://ben.runslinux.net/img/smileys_lurking.gif

sholloway

07-22-2004, 02:10 AM

Thanx for checking Ben. Just so I can tell them, what part of the city do you live in and who is your cable provider? Thanx.

DA6030

07-22-2004, 05:22 AM

I was so excited when saw it the other night during the Daily Show! It came as a total surprise (I had not yet read this post).

More interestingly, I happened to be talking to a Seg employee on the phone the next day, and she mentioned that the TV spots are very region specific; which is what I suspected, given that mine specifically mentioned the Regional Transportation Center (I live in a suburb of San Diego, CA).

I watch the Daily Show pretty intermittently, but have decided to start Tivoing it in hopes of seeing the ad again~!

Dwarf84396

07-22-2004, 08:50 AM

Sholloway,

I'm in DeKalb County, near Northlake Mall, and my cable provider is Comcast.

Ben

My entire internet experience condensed into one little image:
http://ben.runslinux.net/img/smileys_lurking.gif

jgrohol

07-22-2004, 10:14 AM

The ads are in the following markets on local cable only:

South Florida and Southern California, Chicago, IL; Kansas City, MO; Alpharetta (Atlanta), GA; Philadelphia/Northern New Jersey;
Washington, D.C.; and Sioux City, Iowa.

I'll see what I can do to make the ads available for viewing online shortly. I'm not sure that we can specify the exact shows the ads will be shown during, as they are local cable buys.

--
All views expressed here are my own, not necessarily those of my employer or others. Check out http://grohol.com/.

IndyFIRSTengineer

07-22-2004, 11:41 AM

quote:Originally posted by jgrohol

The ads are in the following markets on local cable only:

South Florida and Southern California, Chicago, IL; Kansas City, MO; Alpharetta (Atlanta), GA; Philadelphia/Northern New Jersey;
Washington, D.C.; and Sioux City, Iowa.

I'll see what I can do to make the ads available for viewing online shortly. I'm not sure that we can specify the exact shows the ads will be shown during, as they are local cable buys.

--
All views expressed here are my own, not necessarily those of my employer or others. Check out http://grohol.com/.
THANKS John,
I really appreciate you keeping us informed from the "inside".

Stuart Bloom - Rolls-Royce Corporation
FIRST Team 1018 - Pike High School "RoboDevils"

“Who goes out and says, ‘You have a better probability of winning the state lottery than making a nickel in professional sports. And by the way, last year two million exciting technical jobs went unfilled in this country because you weren't there to take that job. And it pays you 10 times as much as flipping burgers, and it's fun and it's exciting and you get to create things and build things and help make the world a better place and help make yourself a better living.’ Who tells them this?”
Dean Kamen, founder - FIRST Robotics

Dwarf84396

07-22-2004, 11:45 AM

Thanks John. We would all love to see these ads!

Ben

My entire internet experience condensed into one little image:
http://ben.runslinux.net/img/smileys_lurking.gif

SteveClapman

07-22-2004, 02:50 PM

"And another thing: DO NOT HIRE wirey British men who have a thick accent, wear suspenders and glasses... That won't work."

Us British men do not have an accent, remember what our language is called :-)

When am I going to get a chance to use a Segway in the UK !!!!

Steve Clapman
steve@clapman.co.uk

Sal

07-22-2004, 03:27 PM

I was only joking, Steve. I am sure you're aware of the infomercial stereotype that is propagated by the sketch comedy shows here in the states. Where a gentleman of the kind I described peddles a kitchen product that is the cure for all ills, because it slices tomatos while at the same time cooking the perfect slices of bacon! LOL

-Sal

Think Different / Answers that Matter
www.apple.com / www.lilly.com

sholloway

07-22-2004, 05:53 PM

A friend of mine said that her friend did see the commercial in Atlanta. Unfortunately for me she couldn't confirm that everything in the dealer tag was spelled correctly and had the right phone number but at least we know that someone is Atlanta is seeing the commercials. They are also working on a "funny" ad so I'm looking forward to seeing that one too.

terryp

07-23-2004, 02:33 AM

DA6030

07-23-2004, 04:19 AM

Got it! I'll see if I can figure a good way to get it from TiVo to PC this weekend if you're all still interested in seeing it.

IndyFIRSTengineer

07-23-2004, 11:17 AM

quote:Originally posted by DA6030

Got it! I'll see if I can figure a good way to get it from TiVo to PC this weekend if you're all still interested in seeing it.
YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!

Stuart Bloom - Rolls-Royce Corporation
FIRST Team 1018 - Pike High School "RoboDevils"

“Who goes out and says, ‘You have a better probability of winning the state lottery than making a nickel in professional sports. And by the way, last year two million exciting technical jobs went unfilled in this country because you weren't there to take that job. And it pays you 10 times as much as flipping burgers, and it's fun and it's exciting and you get to create things and build things and help make the world a better place and help make yourself a better living.’ Who tells them this?”
Dean Kamen, founder - FIRST Robotics

jgrohol

07-23-2004, 12:13 PM

I loaded up the latest commercial to watch in Quicktime/Windows Media formats:

http://www.segway.com/connect/multimedia.html

Enjoy!

--
All views expressed here are my own, not necessarily those of my employer or others. Check out http://grohol.com/.

Sal

07-23-2004, 12:22 PM

Short and sweet!

My personal opinion, but why was the text on the ads so big, they obscured the picture of the people enjoying themselves on the Segway. I would have liked to see more unobscured images of people gliding. Have the text in a corner of the screen, instead of popping up on the entire frame.

Anyway, good job! It's definitely going to spark something!

-Sal

Think Different / Answers that Matter
www.apple.com / www.lilly.com

Neelix

07-23-2004, 01:34 PM

quote:Originally posted by salkulkarni

Short and sweet!

My personal opinion, but why was the text on the ads so big, they obscured the picture of the people enjoying themselves on the Segway. I would have liked to see more unobscured images of people gliding. Have the text in a corner of the screen, instead of popping up on the entire frame.

Anyway, good job! It's definitely going to spark something!

-Sal

Think Different / Answers that Matter
www.apple.com / www.lilly.com

Sal,

Rule one of advertising: Get the information you want to convey onto the screen and in big letters.

This was an advertisement of the special deals going on right now, primarily, and an advertisement for the units secondly.

-------------------------
Fear not, for even though I come from the Forbidden City, I surely do not agree with the rules.
Chris Knight

luckie

07-23-2004, 03:15 PM

Nice commercial. Now we just need a "series" of commercials that follow a storyline.

----
Douglas B. Luckie, Ph.D.
Cystic Fibrosis Research Lab
Department of Physiology and Lyman Briggs School of Science
Michigan State University
http://surf.to/msucf
http://35.9.122.184/blinky.gif

W9GFO

07-23-2004, 05:53 PM

Could someone post a direct linnk to the commercial? I can't get to it using my PDA.

Rich H
Zone, OH

fredkap

07-23-2004, 08:24 PM

So much to say, so little time to say it.

Fred

gillis78

07-23-2004, 10:17 PM

I have seen a few commercials regarding segway in my area (Maryland). I was surprised to see it for the first time a couple of days ago. I (as far as I know) am the only segway owner in the area. Took it to the mall today and got a lot of positive response, but ran into a couple of ney sayers also. All and All, a good time was had!

junio1r

07-24-2004, 05:58 PM

I heard from an agency friend in Tampa that a new Segway commercial is on adcritic.com.

RAG1247

07-24-2004, 07:52 PM

quote:Originally posted by junio1r

I heard from an agency friend in Tampa that a new Segway commercial is on adcritic.com.

looks like there may be several different ones on adcritic.com, but I'm not paying $99.00 a year to see them!

Richard
Ft. Lauderdale
http://www.sonyguy.com/stars_rag2.gif[/img=left] [i]If you can’t change the people around you, change the people around youhttp://www.sonyguy.com/stars2.gif

SegwayUtah

07-24-2004, 09:14 PM

There are two of them on adcritic.com:

http://gfx.adcritic.com/gfx/smthumb/segway-engineer60.jpg
1. Segway: Engineer
It's nothing to sneeze at.
(It's #1 on the AdCritic TOP 20 right now!)

http://gfx.adcritic.com/gfx/smthumb/segway-crawl45.jpg
2. Segway: Crawl

Ooh, I'd really love to see these! John, any way we could get those up on the website? :) :)

Chris

mattk

07-25-2004, 06:06 PM

Does anyone have a non adcritic.com link to the other adds

-MattK

DA6030

07-25-2004, 07:43 PM

quote:Originally posted by IndyFIRSTengineer

quote:Originally posted by DA6030

Got it! I'll see if I can figure a good way to get it from TiVo to PC this weekend if you're all still interested in seeing it.
YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!

Looks like jgrohol beat me to it. :-P

Burke

07-26-2004, 06:33 PM

Someone at work told me he saw his first one this past weekend (our list shows none scheduled for weekends, so maybe it was Friday). It had two locations on the screen and Segway video in a corner. We can only assume the locations were us and Seg L.A.; my buddy was caught by surprise and didn't memorize them or see the whole thing.

One of Dick's other businesses is satellite TV for RV's, so we are diehard Dish Network subscribers and won't be seeing the cable ads, either! Every TV in the house is on either satellite or the antenna.

But I think it's a good idea that Segway LLC opted to go with the cable buys to target specific areas.

We are bearing monstrous newspaper advertising costs, so it's appreciated that Segway LLC is handling the TV ads in huge numbers.

Janice
Segway Orange County

mattk

07-27-2004, 09:00 PM

Yeah it is great that segway is picking up the costs of TV adds.. now only if I could see the Segway: Engineer Commercial and the Segway: Crawl Commercial!

-MattK

jgrohol

07-29-2004, 11:16 AM

Folks, I'm working hard to make the commercials available on Segway.com as they become available, but each does take some time to convert.

I'm pleased to let you know that the "World's Greatest Invention" commercial is now available online at:

http://www.segway.com/connect/multimedia.html

The other commercial will likely be online by mid-August. Thanks for your patience...

--
All views expressed here are my own, not necessarily those of my employer or others. Check out http://grohol.com/.

SegwayUtah

07-29-2004, 02:00 PM

Thanks John!

BTW, what do you all think of the "World's Greatest Invention" commercial? I think it's a "brand recognition" type of commerical. I didn't know what I thought the first time I saw it, but after seeing it four times I had to laugh.

Chris

fredkap

07-29-2004, 02:08 PM

Great commercial! You sure can do a lot more with a 5 minute commercial than a 30 second spot. IMHO this is what people need to see, not the 30 second spot.

Sure wish the attorneys/risk management people didn't require helmets.

The trailer hitch looks sweet. (so sell it already!!!)

Fred

Neelix

07-29-2004, 02:46 PM

Its nothing to sneeze at!

Edit:

Whats with the room at the end?

-------------------------
Fear not, for even though I come from the Forbidden City, I surely do not agree with the rules.
Chris Knight

RAG1247

07-29-2004, 03:39 PM

my own opinion is that the greatest invention would be more akin to a company having great well known brand such as Nike, Coke, Sony, etc.

the other "dealer" commercial I think is great - it shows the segway being used.

most of us here would enjoy and maybe like any segway commercial, but their target has to be those who don't know about segway to make them more interested in finding out more.

Richard
Ft. Lauderdale
If you can’t change the people around you,
change the people around you

JaredHT

07-29-2004, 07:42 PM

There are now three videos that I think are new (including two commercials) at the link John posted above.

Thanks again John!

Peace,

Jaredht

Dwarf84396

07-29-2004, 08:31 PM

John,

Thanks soo much for posting the videos. The "Worlds Greatest Invention" is a hilarious ad. The big question is now, is the "World Greatest Invention" spot running on any channels at this time? (And if it isn't yet, will it be soon?)

Thanks

Ben

My entire internet experience condensed into one little image:
http://ben.runslinux.net/img/smileys_lurking.gif

GlideMaster

07-29-2004, 08:49 PM

Brooster you may not believe this but I've seen all of these films. The two short and the one long. I really like the one Crawl. I saw them all online.

<center>http://www.segwaychat.com/forum/avatars/glidemaster.gif</center>

terryp

07-29-2004, 10:52 PM

I agree with Brooster. That spot is totally lame. The guy is made to look like a geek. How about showing some real world scenerios involving normal looking people. Maybe a tag line of "Segway - How do you get around?"

Practicing safe Segs in Seattle

Deviant

07-30-2004, 12:32 AM

I thought it was funny, but inappropriate for what is needed at this time.

07-30-2004, 12:55 AM

gosh, i hate to say this-- but i didn't care for the ads at all, i tried hard, i really did.

cheers,
pt

Hauptagon

07-30-2004, 01:07 AM

Another MAJOR problem with the "Greatest Invention Ever" commercial: when comparing the segway to other great inventions, the nerd-guy essentially said the automobile was greater!

If you're not sure what I mean, it was insinuated when the guy in the backround commented that the car was a great invention, and the engineer riding the segway resigned himself to the "fact" that the car indeed was a great invention; more so than the segway.

I think this is a core problem -- the segway is supposed to be able to replace the car for many trips (it has for me). How's saying cars are better helping?

I haven't seen the "Crawl" spot yet, but I thought the "Summer Celebration Promotion" was also way off base. Firstly, it assumes that the viewer already knows something about the segway (like the difference between a p and an i series). Secondly, I didn't think it should have jumped right into pricing like that -- there's much more important things to mentions first when addressing the unknowing public. It should have given the viewer some examples of just how practical this device is (mentioning fuel prices these days wouldn't hurt!).

Compare these commercials with some car commercials nowadays. Not the cheesy Kia commercials -- the really powerful ones with intense music and visuals. THAT's what segway needs.

In all, the very first videos of the segway are better than these -- the ones where Dean Kamen himself is seen in the video (and I believe he narrated, too).

-Justin

"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams." -From Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factor

Neelix

07-30-2004, 01:55 AM

Ever think that maybe this ad is to balance their "karma"?

I love it. I think that its all about the company stepping back and poking some fun at themselves and what they said in the past (this device is world changing).

Also, by comparing it to other world changing products, people will begin to associate it subconciously with world changing revolutions like the automobile or the polio vaccine.

On the surface, it makes people laugh and say "Finally Segway is getting off their high horse and getting real!" and underneath it all its laying the groundwork for people associating it with revolutionary discoveries and developments.

-------------------------
Fear not, for even though I come from the Forbidden City, I surely do not agree with the rules.
Chris Knight

GlideMaster

07-30-2004, 01:59 AM

When I said I liked the ad Crawl it was because it was so funny to see someone crawling through most of a Segway ad trying to get to a Segway. The video that really stands out is the long video that shows so many facets of how and where the Segway can be and is used.

<center>http://www.segwaychat.com/forum/avatars/glidemaster.gif</center>

terryp

07-30-2004, 02:21 AM

I seem to remember from Code Name: Ginger that D.K. was against spending ('wasting') money on advertising. Now that he's going ahead, could he have possibly approved these commercials? I haven't seen the 'Crawl' commercial yet, but considering the name, I'm not expecting it to be any better.

In my opinion, the original video with Dean's narration is one of the best. If they could shorten it to 30 or 60 seconds, it would make a great TV spot. It shows the practicality and the fun factor in a lot more interesting settings than these.

Practicing safe Segs in Seattle

driley

07-30-2004, 03:28 AM

I liked the "World's Greatest Invention" commercial. It completely diffuses the hype surround the release of the HT and the notion that it is going to change the world. I regularly have people on the street make comments about how HTs have not lived up to the hype.

The fact is that the HT IS an amazing invention, but I do not think that it makes it into even the top 50 inventions in the world. This is coming from someone whose life has been changed immeasurable by the HT.

The HT is NOT going to change the world. Cities are not going to be built around the HT. At least not in our lifetime. If you believe otherwise, I think you may be in need for a heavy dose of reality.

Success for Segway at this point should probably be measured in our seeing an HT in the wild every now and then.

I think that those who are saying that Segway is way off target with their latest efforts should relax a little and see what happens. I think that while we are all interested in seeing this company succeed, but maybe we should just get out and glide and let Segway run Segway.

Devin

driley

07-30-2004, 03:34 AM

quote:Originally posted by Neelix

Ever think that maybe this ad is to balance their "karma"?

I love it. I think that its all about the company stepping back and poking some fun at themselves and what they said in the past (this device is world changing).

Also, by comparing it to other world changing products, people will begin to associate it subconciously with world changing revolutions like the automobile or the polio vaccine.

On the surface, it makes people laugh and say "Finally Segway is getting off their high horse and getting real!" and underneath it all its laying the groundwork for people associating it with revolutionary discoveries and developments.

-------------------------
Fear not, for even though I come from the Forbidden City, I surely do not agree with the rules.
Chris Knight

Chris,
Could not have said it better!

Producing this commercial seems almost a mandatory step for Segway.

Devin

Neelix

07-30-2004, 04:16 AM

quote:Originally posted by Brooster

quote:Originally posted by Neelix

Ever think that maybe this ad is to balance their "karma"?

I love it. I think that its all about the company stepping back and poking some fun at themselves and what they said in the past (this device is world changing).

Also, by comparing it to other world changing products, people will begin to associate it subconciously with world changing revolutions like the automobile or the polio vaccine.

On the surface, it makes people laugh and say "Finally Segway is getting off their high horse and getting real!" and underneath it all its laying the groundwork for people associating it with revolutionary discoveries and developments.

The problem with this, Chris, is that it rather arrogantly assumes that the whole world has heard the bold claims of "changing the world." The whole world doesn't know--and not even everyone in our country knows--what a Seg even is. Fact is, most people really don't care. What we do know is that the time window for the "wow factor" is well over, and wasn't capitalized upon when it was open.

The objective at this point should be getting people to care, and understand what the Seg is about ... not poking fun at it.

If I didn't know anything about the Seg and saw this commercial, I might laugh and say, WTF? And then if I saw one on the street, I'd laugh again. I think that's exactly what this commercial will bring about. This is a disaster even bigger than 12.0.

Brooster

Brooster, your comments seem quite... sensational.

Bigger disaster than the recall? No way.

This is a COMMERCIAL. Its FUNNY. People will remember it.

Even people who haven't "...heard the bold claims of "changing the world." will still remember the product after they view the ad. The point of this commercial is to establish the name of the product in the minds of the consumers who had not heard of it, and to soften Segway's image to those who know all about it. Like you say, not everyone has heard of the HT. Now the people who didn't know can attach a name, a funny commercial, and a memorable tagline to the image of the product.

There are more local dealers than ever before. There have been more developments in Segway in the past month than in any other time period in Segway's history. New colors, new options, new brochures, new posters, new style, new marketing, new dealer network. This commercial is a small part of the bigger strategy. The "big picture".

I am more excited about Segway than I have ever been before. Cool things are happening and the future looks bright.

-------------------------
Fear not, for even though I come from the Forbidden City, I surely do not agree with the rules.
Chris Knight

driley

07-30-2004, 04:20 AM

quote:Originally posted by Brooster

Neelix is pretty bright for a 15-year-old, but I don't think he's seeing the big picture.

Brooster

What is the big picture?

Devin

brianh

07-30-2004, 08:24 AM

Brooster, stop being so g-ddam paternalistic and like a know-it-all. Maybe you should get off your high horse once in awhile and realize that some people aren't going to share your opinion and guess what........ that's alright! You don't have to go around acting like an a$$ acting as tho only YOU know what's best for the seg.

terryp

07-30-2004, 11:33 AM

From the responses so far, it looks like most of us DO agree with Brooster on this one. I guess we'll just have to wait and see if these stupid ads actually sell Segways in the target areas. My guess is that they'll just result in more belittling comments.

Practicing safe Segs in Seattle

RAG1247

07-30-2004, 12:05 PM

quote:Originally posted by terryp

From the responses so far, it looks like most of us DO agree with Brooster on this one. I guess we'll just have to wait and see if these stupid ads actually sell Segways in the target areas. My guess is that they'll just result in more belittling comments.

Practicing safe Segs in Seattle

I only think one is actually running anywhere other than the website (dealers ad) and imo opinion the other two zany ones, while amusing and maybe interesting to members of the choir (people owning existing units and segway knowledgeable), those who have no clue as to what a segway is and how it can be used, still won't have a clue or more interest. Like I said previously, coke, sony, nike, etc with huge brand recognition could get away with it, not llc at this point in time

Richard
Ft. Lauderdale
If you can’t change the people around you,
change the people around you

woodenapple

07-30-2004, 12:42 PM

I love the Greatest Invention commercial and have to agree with everything Chris wrote. In my opinion it should help "diffuse the hype", as Devin stated. And for those people Brooster refers to who never heard the "change the world" claims, they will get a first impression of humble rather than hype. It will establish a more likeable personality for the company so people will be willing to pay attention and care about later ads that show more about actual use of the Segway.

I would love to wear a "Nothing to Sneeze At" t-shirt while riding my Segway.

Rodney

rrschnell

07-30-2004, 12:52 PM

quote:Originally posted by driley

I think that those who are saying that Segway is way off target with their latest efforts should relax a little and see what happens. I think that while we are all interested in seeing this company succeed, but maybe we should just get out and glide and let Segway run Segway.

Devin

Amen!!!

Be safe,
Dick

jgrohol

07-30-2004, 01:30 PM

Well, there's one sure way to see how you feel about it:

VOTE!

I put up the ability to vote on the commercials now when you view them (click on the appropriate stream), as well as some background information about the first Chiat\Day spot:

http://www.segway.com/connect/multimedia.html

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

--
All views expressed here are my own, not necessarily those of my employer or others. Check out http://grohol.com/.

pam

07-30-2004, 02:06 PM

I'd be curious as to the age differences between the people who thought they were funny and those who thought they were lame. I personally didn't care for them much, but I recognize that since I'm a bit older I probably prefer more subtle or sophisticated humor. MTV leaves me pretty cold. This is NOT a negative comment about those who liked the commercials, BTW, just my own opinion. Seeing the commercials would not make me want to buy a Segway or to explore them further. And I'm of the age that I can afford to buy a Segway.

All that said, I thought Crawl would have me answering more negative comments about the Segway being used in place of exercise - And the greatest invention commercial did nothing to show the Segway in a positive light, and we need all we can get (IMHO) that shows the Segway in a positive light. We already have enough people making fun of us. Again... JMHO.

Again, I wonder if some of the issue is an age issue. And if that is the case, then maybe we have to look at who can afford to purchase the product and slant the ads towards that population.
Pam

GlideMaster

07-30-2004, 02:07 PM

Even though I'm not in it, I love the long video that's on the Segway site. I think it covers alot of aspects of what the Segway is capable of being used for. I'm not referring to the Summer Promotion video.

<center>Glide On</center>

<center>http://www.segwaychat.com/forum/avatars/glidemaster.gif</center>

Hauptagon

07-30-2004, 02:09 PM

Interesting results as of 12:07 Eastern -- 50/50 on the "Summer Promotion" spot and no positives on the "Best Invention" spot.

P.S. Yes, the long video is the best yet.

-Justin

"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams." -From Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

woodenapple

07-30-2004, 04:54 PM

One potential effect of the Greatest Invention commercial is that it will make people wonder why some are worried about Segways on the sidewalk. The engineer won't be perceived as riding on a 'vehicle' as much as he will be seen as simply strolling forward and then standing still to have a conversation while turning in place occasionally. But the subtle use of a few Segways moving around in the background will verify the unconscious awareness that they can also be used to go places and to do things.

By the way, I am 48 years old and I definitely appreciate the humor in this spot. Believe it or not, I think most people will be LESS likely to make fun of the Segway after seeing the commercial. If Segway doesn't take itself too seriously, then it won't be setting itself up for being made fun of. It is when Segway is perceived as thinking it is the answer to all the world's problems that people feel the need to knock it down to earth.

But I am just forming my opinion based on how I personally reacted to the commercial. It is obvious that viewers will have all kinds of different reactions, just as we on this board do. If enough people vote on the commercial at segway.com then maybe we can get a better idea of a larger population's response.

Rodney

JosephM

07-30-2004, 05:14 PM

Plus it's made by Chiat/Day, the guys behind all the Apple ads, INCLUDING 1984.

http://www.segwaychat.com/forum/icon_segway_happy.gif FIRST Pit News Mag @ www.pitnews.org

Neelix

07-30-2004, 05:47 PM

A buddy of mine said to me after I showed him this thread:

"You know, I bet these people would have complained about the 1984 commercial. Look how good that one turned out!"

-------------------------
Fear not, for even though I come from the Forbidden City, I surely do not agree with the rules.
Chris Knight

RAG1247

07-30-2004, 06:24 PM

quote:Originally posted by JosephM

Plus it's made by Chiat/Day, the guys behind all the Apple ads, INCLUDING 1984.

http://www.segwaychat.com/forum/icon_segway_happy.gif FIRST Pit News Mag @ www.pitnews.org

llc is not apple

Richard
Ft. Lauderdale
If you can’t change the people around you,
change the people around you

RAG1247

07-30-2004, 06:27 PM

quote:Originally posted by jgrohol

Well, there's one sure way to see how you feel about it:

VOTE!

I put up the ability to vote on the commercials now when you view them (click on the appropriate stream), as well as some background information about the first Chiat\Day spot:

http://www.segway.com/connect/multimedia.html

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

--
All views expressed here are my own, not necessarily those of my employer or others. Check out http://grohol.com/.

John: my understanding was that the greatest invention was not running yet on tv - am I wrong?

Richard
Ft. Lauderdale
If you can’t change the people around you,
change the people around you

JosephM

07-30-2004, 10:34 PM

quote:Originally posted by RAG1247

quote:Originally posted by JosephM

Plus it's made by Chiat/Day, the guys behind all the Apple ads, INCLUDING 1984.

http://www.segwaychat.com/forum/icon_segway_happy.gif FIRST Pit News Mag @ www.pitnews.org

llc is not apple

Richard
Ft. Lauderdale
If you can’t change the people around you,
change the people around you

Why not? Both are companies that have sold a few machines, never had that big of national exposure before, and both of their devices (Macintosh & Segway) will go on to change our lives.

http://www.segwaychat.com/forum/icon_segway_happy.gif FIRST Pit News Mag @ www.pitnews.org

terryp

07-30-2004, 11:05 PM

I was so happy to hear that LLC was finally going to advertise, but now that I've seen the ads, I'm just disappointed.

The Summer Celebration ad displays the price on the screen, then verbalizes it first as "twenty nine ninety five", then as "two thousand nine hundred ninety five", as though people might comprehend it one way but not the other. The only good part was "fun, smart transportation", (which they also repeat). Kind of a waste of what little time they have. That's right, just a waste of time. <g>

And even if the Greatest Invention ad might come across as LLC being able to poke fun at itself, I don't see how that sells HTs.

We owners are still the best advertising they've got. If only there were more of us...

Practicing safe Segs in Seattle

mattk

07-30-2004, 11:46 PM

Alright I dont get it- I think nothing to sneeze at is kinda funny but I dont get the line... Its nothing to sneeze at! Can someone explain!?

-MattK

Hauptagon

07-30-2004, 11:50 PM

quote:Originally posted by mattk

Alright I dont get it- I think nothing to sneeze at is kinda funny but I dont get the line... Its nothing to sneeze at! Can someone explain!?

-MattK

Don't you get it? The segway's invisible sneeze-shield ray will stop people from sneezing at it! ;)

-Justin

"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams." -From Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Burke

07-31-2004, 06:35 AM

Boy, nothing like sitting here for minutes trying to explain in words what's meant by "it's nothing to sneeze at."

It's just an expression, but generally it means something is "not that great"; e.g., "I used to have an old car....yeah, it was nothing to sneeze at." So it had some value, but not a lot.

So I guess they're coming full circle in the commercial from "It's the world's greatest invention" to saying "well, it's got SOME value, at least...it's nothing to sneeze at." (Can anyone explain the hole in the sofa?)

I see what you mean, Neelix and others, about deliberately going with the dork factor and making fun of themselves, but I agree with those who just can't see that this is the time to be doing that.

Also don't know how the summer promotion one could possibly connect with any average TV viewer. How about showing the HT being USED first! I thought the logical message would be "Hey, Segways really exist and they still rock, and now you can actually see 'em, feel 'em and buy 'em."

Guess that's why I'm not in marketing. I certainly hope they know where they're going with this. Maybe the commercials were from the same folks who came up with the dealer "kiosk" that no one wants but everyone has to buy. (Dealers--anyone disagree? And how do YOU like the commercials?)

Janice

SegwayUtah

07-31-2004, 11:48 AM

Janice,

I am totally lost regarding a "hole in the sofa." Was there a sofa in the video?

Regarding "nothing to sneeze at," I actually had the oppostite thought -- that the Segway HT may not be the world's greatest invention, but it's certainly "nothing to sneeze at," meaning that it's still really incredible -- just not quite as big of a deal as the others.

Chris

JaredHT

07-31-2004, 12:28 PM

Bullwinkle: 'Wow Rock, that's a lot of money....That's anahistamine money?

Rocky: 'anahistamine money?'

Bullwindle: 'Yeah Rock, anahistamine money. It's nothing to sneeze at.......get it Rock....sneeze at?

-I don't know why I remember that, but hey...sometimes your mind just fills up with useless info and quotes.

I've got to go with Chris (SegUtah on this one.....Nothing to Sneeze at is just an expression meaning....Hey, it might not be the greatest thing ever, but it's still pretty cool.

Peace,

JaredHT

ps....a Poem by Bullwinkle:

'Little spider on the wall,
ain't you got no brains at all.

Can't you see it's just been plastered,
get off that wall you crazy...........spider.

JohnM

07-31-2004, 01:06 PM

quote:Originally posted by mattk

Alright I dont get it- I think nothing to sneeze at is kinda funny but I dont get the line... Its nothing to sneeze at! Can someone explain!?
-MattK

I'm not making this up.....

NOT TO BE SNEEZED AT – “…People in older times imagined that a sneeze cleared the mind. It certainly gave them a feeling of exhilaration. Suddenly, 17th century Europe caught a craze for sneezing. It was considered the right thing to do in good society. Indeed, the more you sneezed, the more you proved yourself a member of the privileged class. To build up this new status symbol, all kinds of devices were used. It was soon realized that snuff caused sneezing. Therefore everyone who was someone carried with him a little box, containing a mixture of sneeze-producing herbs or tobacco. By drawing an ample pinch of it into the nostrils, a hearty sneeze resulted in no time. Of course only the rich and idle had time to sneeze or could afford snuff. Hence the self-induced sneeze became synonymous with aristocratic living. If you were able to sneeze ‘on call,' you showed audibly your status in society. But one matter had still to be decided. Just to sneeze haphazardly was not good enough. There had to be a special occasion. Soon sneezing became part of men's conversation. You indulged in it whenever you wanted to show your disapproval of anything said or, even more so, your lack of interest in the matter discussed. A sneeze was an unmistakable way of saying politely ‘you bore me.' Consequently and logically, anything ‘not to be sneezed at' was something really worthwhile.” From “How Did It Begin?” by R. Brasch (Pocket Books, New York, 1969).

JaredHT

07-31-2004, 04:20 PM

Geez....are you saying my Rocky & Bullwinkle explanation wasn't sufficient?

Peace,

Jaredht

Hauptagon

07-31-2004, 05:59 PM

What about my sneeze-shield ray explanation?

Seriously though JohnM, that's not an explanation wouldn't sneeze at!

-Justin

"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams." -From Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

THIS MESSAGE EDITED

JosephM

07-31-2004, 08:50 PM

You guys really have to loosen up here. He's not saying the Segway sucks, nor does he say the Segway is bad. It's a great COMMERCIAL. When was the last time you saw a long commercial that shows people just brushing their teeth over and over? Step back as an owner and look at it as a COMMERCIAL, a teaser per say.

http://www.segwaychat.com/forum/icon_segway_happy.gif FIRST Pit News Mag @ www.pitnews.org

mattk

07-31-2004, 10:54 PM

I think the couch part is actually part of the "Crawl" commercial. If the original file had both commercials than a extra frame might have made it in when segway cut it up to put online.

-MattK

GadgetmanKen

08-01-2004, 01:02 AM

My take on what the Worlds Greatest Invention is about is I think they are trying to mimmick the A - B personalities as seen on the Best Buy delivery drivers ads. Which I think are hillarious, especially the one with spot the dog. I think they are trying to create a set of characters of that type. The guy mentioning that they are nothing to sneeze at I think, is a reaction to the constant interuptions from the co-worker about his thoughts on greater inventions. Actually I think fire was an accident just waiting to happen anyway. The nothing to sneeze at, I think is added because the guy keeps say other things are better. So, his reply about the sneeze is directed at the other ones. I think the standing(cone) guy is trying to imply... HhhLoser (Sneeze with loser) inside it.

I don't think thats a hole in the couch, rather a flower pot on the table. As to what its got to do with the ad, I don't know.

"Wouldn't it be cool, if?...is like Folgers in my cup"

pam

08-01-2004, 10:00 AM

Hey, guys. These commercials are on AdCritic. I certainly didn't get a set downloaded to me, Brooster. (Not that I would expect to be consulted.) Does that necessarily say WHO put them there? It could have been the person who created them, trying to see what kind of reaction they'd get. Our reaction is probably a good thing for Segway to see - the closest any of us will come to being able to put our two cents in <G>.
Pam

brianh

08-01-2004, 11:48 AM

ok brooster.... since you seem to have very strong opinions about how llc SHOULD be doing things more 'right' than they are (for example, you seem to think the summer celebration thingy isnt good or that their not advertising it right????), share with the world what YOU'D be doing this summer to sell more segs.... and why what YOU'D propose is so much better than what their doin. oh, and assume you don't have millions to spend on whatever it you come up with.

Ive read many of your posts in yer history and talk about calling the tea pot black with the negitivity!!!! throw some positive into the mix and mebbe i wont see you like most others see you here, a big downer.

terryp

08-01-2004, 03:49 PM

quote:Originally posted by brianh

ok brooster.... since you seem to have very strong opinions about how llc SHOULD be doing things more 'right' than they are (for example, you seem to think the summer celebration thingy isnt good or that their not advertising it right????), share with the world what YOU'D be doing this summer to sell more segs.... and why what YOU'D propose is so much better than what their doin. oh, and assume you don't have millions to spend on whatever it you come up with.

Ive read many of your posts in yer history and talk about calling the tea pot black with the negitivity!!!! throw some positive into the mix and mebbe i wont see you like most others see you here, a big downer.

Take a poll and I'll bet you find that Brooster is one of the most respected posters on this forum. His posts are intelligent, thoughtful, and well written. (BTW - if you can't spell, buy a dictionary.)

Bob's post concerning the Geico ads shows that we all see things differently. I happen to think that they're the cleverest commercials to come along in a long time, and I love them. If I was in the market for insurance, their name would be the first to come to mind.

I'm with Bob on nearly everything else though. I have no interest in making my HT stand out. It's just a fun way to get me where I need to go. But I still enjoy giving demos. I've met a lot of nice people that way and, hopefully, helped sell a unit or two.

Practicing safe Segs in Seattle

muckle

08-01-2004, 04:19 PM

Plus the mere fact that you can actually remember what those clever ads were selling (GEICO insurance), is proof positive of their effectiveness.

GadgetmanKen

08-01-2004, 05:16 PM

quote:Ken, I don't know what flower pot you're seeing, but I'm not "down with it." I think you're seeing things.

I see a stupid commercial and a huge waste of money (our money) that could have been put to much better use.

Broo, Whats Up, Man? Chill Awhile... Whats really got your dander up? OK, I meant a plant, green leafy type. Your right, I don't see any flowers either. I also agree with you. I think that commercial is stupid. I just said, I like the Best Buy one that I think is similar to it, by personalities.

I think the Glide into Summer one is acceptable. I can't for the like of me figure out what they are trying to do or say with that Greatest Invention Ad. They should take it off. Maybe this is all just a test.

"Wouldn't it be cool, if?...is like Folgers in my cup"

dupa

08-01-2004, 05:24 PM

Advertising is a very esoteric art form. Remember the Budweiser ads with ferrets and frogs trying to kill each other? Remember Spuds Mackenzie, the drunk pit bull, or ultimate party animal as they called him? Had nothing to do with beer, but people noticed and remembered them. Nobody spends more on ads than Budweiser, and they are the number one beer in America. You may not like what they do, but it is working.
With Segway, I'm just glad they are starting to do ads and real marketing. I hope it's not too late.

W9GFO

08-01-2004, 06:57 PM

Well, I hate to go against the grain. I watched that 'greatest invention' ad. I watched with skeptical, critical eyes expecting to agree with the majority here on how stupid it would be.

I like it.

This ad, in my opinion, counters the notion that Segway LLC really does thinks that they have made the world's greatest invention. It presents the HT as something very special, but not more so than many other important innovations.

Most people do not think that the HT is the greatest thing ever, even among those that own them. As the commercial points out there are other inventions that have benefited mankind more than the HT will. I think this ad goes a long way towards bringing Segway LLC down to earth.

Rich H
SLC, UT

RAG1247

08-01-2004, 07:33 PM

quote:Originally posted by W9GFO

Well, I hate to go against the grain. I watched that 'greatest invention' ad. I watched with skeptical, critical eyes expecting to agree with the majority here on how stupid it would be.

I like it.

This ad, in my opinion, counters the notion that Segway LLC really does thinks that they have made the world's greatest invention. It presents the HT as something very special, but not more so than many other important innovations.

Most people do not think that the HT is the greatest thing ever, even among those that own them. As the commercial points out there are other inventions that have benefited mankind more than the HT will. I think this ad goes a long way towards bringing Segway LLC down to earth.

Rich H
SLC, UT

Most people aren't even aware of the segway and its uses and the greatest invention really does not show the segway's possibilities.. Most people were very familiar with Budweiser before the frogs and lizards and that commerical made them remember it more. People need to know more about the segway first. as I have said before...Sony, Nike, Coke, Budweiser can get away with such ads based on their name and brand recognition. llc doesn't have that luxury........yet.

Richard
Ft. Lauderdale
If you can’t change the people around you,
change the people around you

W9GFO

08-01-2004, 07:54 PM

quote:Originally posted by RAG1247

Most people aren't even aware of the segway and its uses and the greatest invention really does not show the segway's possibilities.. [b]Richard
Ft. Lauderdale

This I agree with. The 'greatest invention' ad may be confusing to those that are unfamiliar with the Segway. It's not the only ad they will run.

Many, many people are familiar with the Segway. An ad like this shows that it's 'ok' to buy one now.

Rich H
SLC, UT

dupa

08-02-2004, 08:20 AM

Rag claims that most people aren't even aware of the Segway. Really?
I don't believe that. Segway was blessed with more free promo than any product I can remember in my lifetime. There are probably some cave dwellers somehere that haven't heard of it, but anyone even half-plugged in to the news has heard about it. In fact, I would say just the opposite, it suffered from over-hype, because of the unrealistic claims before the reveal. Also, the free promo turned out to be a curse. Kamen etc. probably felt that because of the free ride they received in the media, why waste precious dollars on ads. Huge mistake. It is unfortunate that it might take catchy slogans and gimmicks to kick the sales up a few notches, but that's one of the ways things work in our economy.
Even the great Bob Dylan, who once sang "advertising all is phoney" is now doing ads for Victoria's Secret! And as I've stated before, Dylan and Kamen came from the same jean pool.

Hauptagon

08-02-2004, 09:47 PM

quote:Originally posted by dupa

Rag claims that most people aren't even aware of the Segway. Really?
I don't believe that. Segway was blessed with more free promo than any product I can remember in my lifetime. There are probably some cave dwellers somehere that haven't heard of it, but anyone even half-plugged in to the news has heard about it. In fact, I would say just the opposite, it suffered from over-hype, because of the unrealistic claims before the reveal. Also, the free promo turned out to be a curse. Kamen etc. probably felt that because of the free ride they received in the media, why waste precious dollars on ads. Huge mistake. It is unfortunate that it might take catchy slogans and gimmicks to kick the sales up a few notches, but that's one of the ways things work in our economy.
Even the great Bob Dylan, who once sang "advertising all is phoney" is now doing ads for Victoria's Secret! And as I've stated before, Dylan and Kamen came from the same jean pool.

I have to disagree 70%. Around where I live, many people don't know what a segway is. Many. And much less than that can even recall its name: "Segway".

When I'm not actually riding it, I have to coax the memory of a two-wheeled balancing machine from people. I have to say "You know, it was on the news a lot. The wheels are side to side and it...". Something like that. It's a very rare occurance that I cross someone who knows it by name. Even those that seem to know something about it turn out to know very little. It's even worse when their conceptions of it's supposed performance is better than it actually is -- than I have to break the news that it "can't go quite that fast" or "quite that far."

We need informative commercials, because as much media attention as it has received, there's still people in certain regions of the country who just don't have a clue. It's become clear to me reading here at SegwayChat that the segway's popularity is very varied and isolated, and this is also why (I'm sure) the commercials have only been launched in some areas. I would bet that LLC is developing commercials with an entirely different approach for other areas (like here on Long Island).

-Justin

"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams." -From Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Stewbonz

08-02-2004, 10:01 PM

I too run into lots of folks that don't know the Segway.
Usually I say, ya know , that thing George Bush fell off? That usually jogs the memory.

JEFF JARVIS
http://www.thailandsegwaytours.com/

IndyFIRSTengineer

08-02-2004, 10:31 PM

As I said before ... INFOMERCIAL! That would certainly be an excellent way to show the Segway for all that it is ... fun, useful, intellegent, etc ... I'm sure they can't, but it would also be great to include how much it has improved the "quality of life" for so many with disabilities.quote:Originally posted by IndyFIRSTengineer

Well I don't really like the "connotation" that goes along with this word, but I wonder how well an info-mercial would do? It would certainly be a great way to demonstrate the fun AND practicality of Segway use ...

Stuart Bloom - Rolls-Royce Corporation
FIRST Team 1018 - Pike High School "RoboDevils"

Stuart Bloom - Rolls-Royce Corporation
FIRST Team 1018 - Pike High School "RoboDevils"

“Who goes out and says, ‘You have a better probability of winning the state lottery than making a nickel in professional sports. And by the way, last year two million exciting technical jobs went unfilled in this country because you weren't there to take that job. And it pays you 10 times as much as flipping burgers, and it's fun and it's exciting and you get to create things and build things and help make the world a better place and help make yourself a better living.’ Who tells them this?”
Dean Kamen, founder - FIRST Robotics

Hauptagon

08-02-2004, 10:38 PM

quote:Originally posted by IndyFIRSTengineer

As I said before ... INFOMERCIAL! That would certainly be an excellent way to show the Segway for all that it is ... fun, useful, intellegent, etc ... I'm sure they can't, but it would also be great to include how much it has improved the "quality of life" for so many with disabilities.quote:Originally posted by IndyFIRSTengineer

Well I don't really like the "connotation" that goes along with this word, but I wonder how well an info-mercial would do? It would certainly be a great way to demonstrate the fun AND practicality of Segway use ...

Stuart Bloom - Rolls-Royce Corporation
FIRST Team 1018 - Pike High School "RoboDevils"

Stuart Bloom - Rolls-Royce Corporation
FIRST Team 1018 - Pike High School "RoboDevils"

“Who goes out and says, ‘You have a better probability of winning the state lottery than making a nickel in professional sports. And by the way, last year two million exciting technical jobs went unfilled in this country because you weren't there to take that job. And it pays you 10 times as much as flipping burgers, and it's fun and it's exciting and you get to create things and build things and help make the world a better place and help make yourself a better living.’ Who tells them this?”
Dean Kamen, founder - FIRST Robotics

I don't know, whenever I hear the word "infomercial" I get a bad vibe, too -- the flakiness that reminds you of those do-it-all kitchen appliances. Call me an elitist, but I think the segway's above that! ;) It would be a good way to "spread the word", though.

-Justin

"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams." -From Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

citivolus

08-02-2004, 10:47 PM

Forgive me but I have to ask. What free publicity? Was it on the front page of any newspaper? Did anything substantial air during prime time? Other than the GMA reveal and a few spots on the occasional news show there has been nothing. Compare the number of free 'spots' to the average commercial never mind magazines, newspapers, web ads, billboards, bus stops, train stations, ad nauseum. The attention span of a lot of people just isn't long enough for the occasional blurb to take hold. I just wonder what the myriad political ads are doing to the price of air time. It doesn't have to be in your face but the occasional hint now and then couldn't hurt. Heck it hasn't been but a few weeks since someone asked me if segways were available yet. LLC needs face time, it doesn't need to be perfect but it needs to be.

--
swiftly flying