I read this morning that Sony Ericsson is ditching its Walkman and Cyber-shot phone brands because they're no longer in touch with today's consumer. They're launching the Idou (really?) to compete with the iPhone. I don't know what everyone else thinks about this, but I just think this is ridiculous. Sony and Ericsson became a powerbrand - fusing technology and music and using the Walkman equity helped to fuel their prowess in the music-phone arena. Walkman and music are synonymous. If Sony are worried that Walkman and 80s music are synonymous (all cassettes and bad haircuts, instead of digitised to appeal to the iTunes generation) then I think they should have upped the ante with the brand, not ditched it altogether.
And Idou?! What does that possibly mean? It feels far too close to iXYZ for comfort and smacks of piggy-backing on the current touch-screen phone technology. Sony aren't as ahead with their iPhone challenger as their competitors, but I don't see why everyone has to follow suit. Isn't it time someone lead the market in another direction rather than bowing to popularity and losing precious brand equity in the process?
Hi Louise, sorry, but I'm not with you on this. The walkman makes one think of just music and the cybershot makes one think of just cameras and Sony Ericsson is already a mouthful. So, with all these names and everything from the kitchen sink to the mobile TV converging in on everything else faster than a blackhole mid-collapse I think its a great idea.
And then, the touch screen and following suit. I think the key pad is dead. It's touch screen all the way. How else are we going to get a half decent sized slim screen into our pockets ...or did I miss the point on that bit.
That said, I like the "i-do" or "i-do-you" ways of reading this brand name. Sounds like it could be a lot of fun.
...I should add though. The "i-this", "i-that" lazy brand names for anything technology based is getting a bit tedious. But, for some reason, I don't know why, I'm willing to give the "Idou" a little patience.
I see your point, but Idou doesn't mean anything to me. Building a brand from scratch takes much more marketing clout than reaffirming an established one. Consumers are going to need educating as to why this new brand exists, why it trumps everything that's gone before it, its values, vision, personality.... I just don't think that ditching equity is the best move when it could be shifted in the right direction?
It's base is in the Russian Language.
'Bil' is the Russian verb to 'go'.
" Ya idou" means I go.
idou = go.
Russians are completely bonkers over technology.
They eat it for breakfast.
They cannot get enough of it.
My guess is...
With a 200,000,000 plus market out there, chances are
they will flood the Russian and Eastern European Market with it
because they are prepared to pay seriously premium prices for
the latest electronic goods.
Once that is achieved, the price can be lowered to enter Europe
at a more competitive price entry level.
Russia ends in Vladivostok, close to Japan.
That means lower transport costs to the market
and that means higher porfits.
Louise Kennedy
Blogging for:
Member since: 03 Jun 2008
Last login: 22 Nov 2009
Total Posts: 94
