Sprint Not pushing the EVO advertisement wise

[djtarique]

Yes Sprint has the EVO locked web wise, every time I type something in a search engine I get a million EVO web banners no matter what I'm searching for. EVO has so many youtube and blog postings and unboxing that it has created a web BUZZ. But when it comes to the world outside of the web, the EVO is unheard of. I go to the radio shack yesterday (5.24.10) and they have no clue on how to preorder an EVO for me, they have to call the store manager from his house to get instructions, that was an hour long process. NO evo banners No Evo brochures and no EVO knowledge at Radio Shack(Maryland). Sprint is flirting with a monster and their Just treating it like a sorry Sanyo phone, what gives? no commercials no nothing. Sorry to say but EVO will be a flop commercial wise, don't blame the hardware, blame Sprint.

 

[Owleyes]

Please do not take this an example of all RadioShacks. I am sorry your's was uninformed, but this kind of stuff makes us all look bad.

My sprint rep told me that the initial push is being targeted to the web savy crowd. After that is done they will expand the advertising =)

 

[Caitlyn McKenzie]

Yeah that's unusual as I just preordered mine at RS and not only did the regular store clerk know exactly what I was talking about when I mentioned the EVO, he was knowledgeable on the device, knew the procedure, preordered me and had me out the door in less than 10 minutes.

And in fact, this is not something I typically associate with RS, as the last time I was there I had a clerk who refused listen when I explained why I needed a mono RCA to 3.5mm jack adapter for SPDIF. *facepalm* (He kept insisting I didn't want the mono adapter because it would do mono output, not understanding that SPDIF is a digital 1-line signal)

 

[Yourdogsdead]

One of my tech savvy friends knows about it. Another family friend who is not very tech savvy knows about it. Wonder how she found out?

 

[alvarezjpr]

At my RS, as I was going into the store the manager was leaving and when I asked the clerk to pre-order the Evo he ran outside to get the manager. Now, this was the first day of pre-ordering and I was the first one to pre-order at that store, so it is understandable that he was not sure on how to do the whole process. With the help of the manager I was out of the in 15 minutes. 10 days!!!!

 

[Owleyes]

At my RS, as I was going into the store the manager was leaving and when I asked the clerk to pre-order the Evo he ran outside to get the manager. Now, this was the first day of pre-ordering and I was the first one to pre-order at that store, so it is understandable that he was not sure on how to do the whole process. With the help of the manager I was out of the in 15 minutes. 10 days!!!!

Wow, I can't believe that you were the first.....it's a great thing for you though...first in line for your brand new Evo!!!! I know I can't wait to get mine lol

 

[djtarique]

glad you guys had a better experience. just thought they would be better prepared since this a flagship phone

 

[Owleyes]

Like I said, it is a shame they were so unprepared for you, and this device. In my store all of my people know about this, and are pushing for it to be a huge success!

 

[chazm]

Who cares? I don't want every blow jo to have one anyways. I have an iPhone now and EVERYONE has one. would be nice to have something different

 

[hawkyman]

It is a flagship phone but I'm wondering if they are a little worried about the 4G footprint. By first using the internet and then TV to advertise they are almost doing a roll-out type release. 4G demand will gradually increase.

 

[turtle3#AC]

Word. Of. Mouth.

Just wait for it. Marketing is strategy. Get it in peoples' hands and when they show it to their friends and then the friend sees a TV or print ad for it now you've got something.

Prior to that, they're smart - web ads are targeted and CHEAP in comparison to full on TV and print.

Patience my young apprentice. When you get yours and show it to 40 of your friends/family because you are so excited about how cool it is - that type of advertising is priceless.

Hesse is no dummy. Just watch.

 

[Yourdogsdead]

Word. Of. Mouth.

Just wait for it. Marketing is strategy. Get it in peoples' hands and when they show it to their friends and then the friend sees a TV or print ad for it now you've got something.

Prior to that, they're smart - web ads are targeted and CHEAP in comparison to full on TV and print.

Patience my young apprentice. When you get yours and show it to 40 of your friends/family because you are so excited about how cool it is - that type of advertising is priceless.

Hesse is no dummy. Just watch.

Good thing I developed patience back when I had dial-up. I already got a friend to get this phone, my family is next.

 

[Roustermiller]

I have like 4 people I know that pre-order the phone after I should them it on YouTube and a few more is waiting for me to get it this is going to spread like a plague trust me I got everybody to get blackberrys anything people see me with they want it

 

[riste601]

I think the word is getting out. The other day I was talking with my father, who is getting up there and is lucky to use email, and he was asking me about this new super phone coming out on sprint. So, I figure if hes in the know about it, word has to be getting out.

 

[turtle3#AC]

Good thing I developed patience back when I had dial-up. I already got a friend to get this phone, my family is next.

I have like 4 people I know that pre-order the phone after I should them it on YouTube and a few more is waiting for me to get it this is going to spread like a plague trust me I got everybody to get blackberrys anything people see me with they want it

I think the word is getting out. The other day I was talking with my father, who is getting up there and is lucky to use email, and he was asking me about this new super phone coming out on sprint. So, I figure if hes in the know about it, word has to be getting out.

Case-and-point. Oh....and my dog is getting an Evo since he's heard me talk about it so dang much!

Now just how much more effective would it be if you could show your father this new "superphone". Then he'd be headed to Sprint for his own. The marketing blitz is coming....when it is optimally effective (when the phones are in the wild).

 

[raheenb]

I definitely worry about Sprint's marketing strategy...after seeing how ineffective the ad campaign was for the Pre, I'd think they want to build as much hype as possible before the next iPhone comes out..maybe not push it as a 4g phone in unsupported markets until the network is ready though... but the phone has enough other features to go against any phone on the market. Hopefully when they do launch a commercial it'll be better than the lame Incredible commercial which only shows videos of things moving fast ;-p

 

[kashmir]

Word. Of. Mouth.

Just wait for it. Marketing is strategy. Get it in peoples' hands and when they show it to their friends and then the friend sees a TV or print ad for it now you've got something.

Prior to that, they're smart - web ads are targeted and CHEAP in comparison to full on TV and print.

Patience my young apprentice. When you get yours and show it to 40 of your friends/family because you are so excited about how cool it is - that type of advertising is priceless.

Hesse is no dummy. Just watch.

You would think. Unfortunately that was the case with the Pre and look how that turned out. I loved showing off webOS and the Pre's hardware (no kidding) until I realized I was bringing a spitball straw to a gun fight. Certainly won't be the same with the EVO, but word of mouth just doesn't cut it anymore. "Want" does. As much as I hate to say it, Verizon did it correctly with the Droid. In your face, look what it can do worked, and works. People wanted the Droid before they know what the hell it was.

I can understand Sprint's not wanting to showcase 4G considering its coverage limits, but the phone is the star here, let everyone know already Sprint. Yes, its always a nice feeling being the only kid on the block with "that" toy, and while having that toy backed by Andriod doesn't hurt, I would love to see more people with the EVO than what I've saw with the Pre over the last year. I felt like the only one with that toy to now feeling like the only one foolish enough to get that toy.

 

[Darth Pooh#CB]

Totally disagree with the OP.

This is PERFECT advertising. All the tech sites are getting hammered with Evo ads... and that's all that matters at this point. We are the population they want to target and they are. You don't want to get my wife interested in a Sprint phone just for her to go into the store to be told... next month, next week, next whatever. She won't care and forget about it by then or possibly just buy something else while in the store. You need to know your target audience and what type of advertising they respond to.

Marketing 101. (Before you even ask... I've taken courses.)

 

[chazm]

I definitely worry about Sprint's marketing strategy...after seeing how ineffective the ad campaign was for the Pre, I'd think they want to build as much hype as possible before the next iPhone comes out..maybe not push it as a 4g phone in unsupported markets until the network is ready though... but the phone has enough other features to go against any phone on the market. Hopefully when they do launch a commercial it'll be better than the lame Incredible commercial which only shows videos of things moving fast ;-p

Maybe it wasn't the marketing for the Pre, it was just the Pre. A few friends of mine and I messed around with the pre it didn't care for it too much. 2 of us have an iPhone, one has a HTC hero and the other has some android OS phone.

We couldn't even press those little buttons

 

[Yourdogsdead]

I got used to the Pre's keyboard and now I can type almost as fast on that keyboard as I can on a full sized one. It's all about getting used to it, I will have to do the same with the Virtual keyboard on the Evo.