PALO ALTO, Calif., July 12, 2006 - Reaching beyond traditional media audiences, HP is taking its global PC marketing campaign online to capitalize on the viral nature of the web and blogosphere.
The next round of “The Computer is Personal Again” campaign – three commercials starring Mark Burnett, Mark Cuban and Pharrell Williams – will premiere online before appearing on television.
Previously released commercials featuring cultural icon Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and U.S. Olympic snowboarding gold medalist Shaun White generated overwhelmingly positive online chatter throughout the web and blogosphere.
“We are seeing great interest in the number of blog links and online buzz created by the first two ad spots,” said David Roman, vice president of marketing communications, Personal Systems Group, HP. “Online video sites and their prominence in the blog community are today's ‘word-of-mouth,’ providing a very personal avenue to help HP reach an audience that doesn’t necessarily respond to traditional media, but who will watch an ad online if it’s been recommended by a well-liked blogger or their friend.”
From Burnett traipsing through the jungle for the TV show “Survivor,” to Cuban emailing to ask his future wife out on their first date, to Williams listening to hip hop beats --- the ad spots illustrate just how integral the PC is to each of their professional and personal lives, despite their widely diverse interests and careers.
With a new feature on HP’s website, fans can now create personalized versions of the spots to share on their own blogs, or through email or instant message. Individuals upload pictures of themselves and select a few things about how their PC is personal – such as digital photos, instant messaging, music or travel – and within seconds receive a personalized version of the TV spot starring themselves and their interests.
The personalization feature, powered by Personiva, the new TV spots and original, behind-the-scenes online extras can be found at the “Viewing Room” and “Extras” links at www.hp.com/personal .
Launched in the United States on May 9, “The Computer is Personal Again” campaign features celebrities, noteworthy business people and other recognizable figures revealing how their PCs are personal to them through the content they keep on their systems. The campaign will continue to roll out around the world over the coming months.
About HP
HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company’s offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended April 30, 2006, HP revenue totaled $88.9 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com .
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Tiffany Smith
PR Manager
HP Personal Systems Group
Phone: 281-514-7785
