BlackBerry Courts Hip Twenty Somethings (Therese)



BlackBerry Courts Hip Twenty Somethings.

 
Ownership of a mobile phone by young people has been a global phenomenon in recent years.  Even more impressive is how quickly young people have adopted the technology, with the reduction in costs of handsets, smaller size and instant access being a few of the reasons.  It is now an integral part of their daily life and has turned from a technological tool to a social one.

In terms of identity and self representation, BlackBerry has gone to great lengths to improve theirs through commercialism - changing the nature and perception of the BlackBerry phone.  Commercialism relates to how the media sells popular culture to young people and in my opinion BlackBerry has struck gold with these ads.  The use of YouTube to sell the product and the language used in the news article itself, appeals to the audience Blackberry has in mind.   It covers access, inclusion; it builds on a culture that already exists, depicting an end product that appeal to the young – and in my case the not so young!

For young people the mobile phone is a status symbol.  Features, appearance, accessories and the need annually to ‘upgrade’ all attest to this.  It is an accessory that satisfies the need for individualisation. It signifies that one is socially connected, accessible and in BlackBerry case, hip and surrounded by like minded people.  In the era of ‘virtual co-existence’ young people want to be seen as modern, part of the community and in constant contact with each other.  BlackBerry’s new ads aim to promote this via the inclusion of young and popular social identities, modern music and a theme of “Love What You Do”.  This certainly gives credibility, in the eyes of the targeted audience, to BlackBerry.

After viewing the variety of ads aimed at different occupations, gender and social class, apple needs to get creative.  Owning a BlackBerry now seems popular to this not so young consumer.

Reference:

Blackberry Courts Hip Twenty Somethings Via Diplo - Entertainment News - Pedestrian TV. (n.d.). Music News, Fashion News, Cool News, Indie News, Hipster News - Pop Culture - Pedestrian TV. Retrieved October 6, 2010, from http://www.pedestrian.tv/entertainment/news/blackberry-courts-hip-twenty-somethings-via-diplo/24247.htm