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What would you ask Michael?
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New holiday commercials with the Dell dude!! (forgiveness and second chances)

120 points posted to Dell by jervis961 11/08/07



"Oh, how the mighty have fallen: Ben Curtis, famous just a few years ago as "Steven the Dell Dude," is now a waiter / bartender at Tortilla Flats in New York. Although the Steven ads were hugely popular and generated tons of buzz (and revenue) for Dell, the company eventually dropped the campaign after Ben got arrested for buying pot in 2003 -- shocking no one who actually watched the commercials, but apparently not the message Dell wanted to send the parents fronting the cash for all those

http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/08/dude-youre-getting-a-drink-dell-dude-now-a...

Here's the idea.

A new commercial series staring our older Dell dude but not the conventional type that Dell usually does. Have him at home explaining to a friend that he needs a new computer. His buddy can say something like "you aren't thinking about buying from THEM are you?". Then just end the commercial without even mentioning Dell.

Not actually mentioning Dell will get more people to talk about it out of speculation. Is it a Dell commercial? Is the Dell Dude working for HP?

A new commercial could come out a few weeks later to continue the story of him reconnecting with Dell. It would be a good holiday thing about forgiveness for past mistakes and getting a second chance. Not only does this apply to the Dell Dude but to Dell itself.

benjesuit
11/08/07		 Not a bad idea! I like it.
jervis961
11/08/07		 I think they could have some fun with it, there are a lot of possibilities.

Imagine him calling Dell to place an order. "yes I'm that Ben curtis." then have the operator talk him into saying the old tag line.
benjesuit
11/08/07		 Now that would be funny! This would really be a good thing. Not enough time to produce it for the holidays, but maybe kick it off during the superbowl. That would generate huge buzz for Dell.
jorge
11/08/07		 I can see HP hiring him and doing that! Or who ever is at Dell's heals at the moment.

As long as there's some kind of pot paraphernalia in the background I'd say go for it.
cosh
11/08/07		 Well, I've never seen him before so I've not got any grudge against him.
jervis961
11/08/07		 You've never seen the dell dude?!? OK here's a video
mdburkey
11/08/07		 The heck with Ben Curtis!
Bring back some more ads with the original "Dellf"!
jorge
11/08/07		 But he didn't say "You're getting a Dell Dude!"?
sugarbear
11/08/07		 I loved the Dell dude back when. I never knew his name and didn`t care. Just the Dell dude. He`s to old now to play the Dell dude, get a younger one that looks similar. Drug test first.
cosh
11/09/07		 Can Mr. Bean can play the Dell Dude?
premcv
11/09/07		 LOL @sb, drug test! I hope they do! @cosh: Mr. Bean, no!!!!
jervis961
11/09/07		 The idea of the commercial is of Ben Curtis to play himself and reconnect with Dell. Kind of a forgive and forget theme both for him and Dell. With the mistakes Dell has made the last few years they could really use a feel good forgiveness type thing for the holidays. That is the time of year you are supposed to feel the most giving (and buy lots of computers). :)
premcv
11/09/07		 Yea jervis.I hope Dell hears you!
jervis961
11/09/07		 By the time they figure it out HP will have him doing the commercials for them.
premcv
11/09/07		 I hope not!
sugarbear
11/09/07		 @jervis961, Sorry I missed your point, until now. It`s the forgiveness angle, I don`t see Dell or any fortune 500 company admitting anything or asking for forgivance.
jervis961
11/09/07		 Ah but this is a way to ask for forgiveness without actually doing it. Eventually the someone in the commercials will end up saying "everyone deserves a second chance". It will be pointed towards Ben Curtis but subliminally refer to Dell as well.
jervis961
11/09/07		 Actually sugarbear Michael Dell has admitted they have made mistakes. Check out the video interview if you get a

http://businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/oct2007/db20071017_277576.htm...
sugarbear
11/09/07		 Thank you for the link, I had forgotton about that. I thought Mr. Jarvis was an interesting person, when I met him.
jervis961
11/09/07		 The interview of Mr. Dell was OK but full of him trying to think of the proper wording instead of shooting from the hip. The interview of Jeff Jarvis done by Lionel is till on the Direct2Dell site and was much more interesting if you ask me.
 
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