Jay-Z, Vera Wang and Serena Williams Rejuvenate Hp's Image

For a long time, Hp has dominated the computer industry with printers, but now Hp is seeking to renew interest in its laptop computer. The new Hp ad campaign entitled: "The Computer is Personal Again," seeks to rejuvenate a stagnant brand. Although they are all famous celebrities from different industries, Jay-Z, Vera Wang and Serena Williams are strong figures to add personality to the vague and ambiguous idea of the "personal computer." The ad campaign is also unique because it avoids the vampire effect, so that the commercial focuses on the product itself rather than on the star. In fact, for the entire commercial, the viewer cannot see the star's face. This is an innovative marketing technique on the part of Hp in creating a way to draw upon the celebrity's star power without drawing away from the product itself.

In addition to this, the celebrity is effective in this ad campaign because of the associative benefits that are projected. This means that if the celebrity benefits from the product, then the consumer may be persuaded that the product will benefit him as well. Within the parameters of these three ads alone, the consumer is exposed to countless programs and activities which the Hp computer could be used for. Rather than just advertising the laptop, the ad directly publicizes its features, which contributes to the overarching marketing theme of how the individual can make the computer "personal."

Jay-Z, the "CEO of Hip-Hop," uses his Hp laptop to store his new song, photos of his Rockawear ad campaign and vacation photos. He'll use the computer to design the new Brooklyn arena for the New Jersey Jets with architect Frank Gehry, organize his world tour and track his investments.

Vera Wang, "Empress of Style," uses her Hp computer to save home videos of her daughter or to communicate with others, whether its receiving an email from a far-away place or searching on Google for information on people she's met. She downloads tracks to find the right music for her runway shows and to store photos of her beautiful, custom made wedding gown designs.

Tennis star Serena Williams, the "Belle of the Ball," uses her Hp computer to store photos of her tennis matches or to check out her competition. She listens to music, designs her new video game and fashion design with Nike, and video chats with her friends.

This ad campaign was a truly creative and innovative way to use celebrity endorsement. Not only does it strengthen Hp's brand image and rejuvenate the idea of the personal computer, but the commercial makes the viewer believe that they are credible users of the product.