The one-week iQueue. The saddest fanboys of the lot

[Iam]

Lol.

Whooop!

 

[Gromit]

I don't think you understand what branding is. The iPhone's shape and icon design are as much a part of Apple's branding as the iconic silhouetted dancers for the iPods, the white headphones and the logo itself.

Here. Read and learn:

Even so its shape and icon layout have been nicked by Asian copycats producing phones that look very similar to iPhones.

 

[Gromit]

Lol.

Whooop!

High five!

 

[editor]

Even so its shape and icon layout have been nicked by Asian copycats producing phones that look very similar to iPhones.

Not sure why that's relevant.

 

[Gromit]

It isn't. Just mentioning.

 

[editor]

It just gets sadder and sadder.

Actors paid to line up for iPhone launch in Poland

WARSAW (Reuters) - When Apple Inc rolled out its iPhone in the United States, some fans paid big money to be among the first to get their hands on the device. In Poland, people are getting paid to line up.

"We have these fake queues at front of 20 stores around the country to drum up interest in the iPhone," a spokesman said.

As part of a marketing campaign ahead of the iPhone's Friday launch in Poland, the country's largest mobile operator Orange is paying dozens of actors to stand in queues.

Apple sold about one million of the new iPhone models in the United States around the July launch weekend, but buyers in Poland may be reluctant to pay hefty monthly charges.

There were no queues at T-Mobile's Era stores, which will also due to launch the iPhone on Friday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/tech...20080821?feedType=RSS&feedName=technologyNews

 

[Voley]

"We have these fake queues at front of 20 stores around the country to drum up interest in the iPhone," a spokesman said.

And they admit to this. Jesus.

 

[editor]

And they admit to this. Jesus.

Makes you wonder how many people in the US/UK iQueues were fakes too.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

That's just weird.

 

[editor]

It's even weirder when you see them standing there like pricks:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/21/orange-paying-actors-to-line-up-for-the-iphone-3g-in-poland/

Nice user comment:

Now if someone asks me what's sadder than standing in line for a stinkin' phone, I can say with confidence: paying actors to stand in line for a stinkin' phone.

(* Before anyone starts up: I don't think the user is slagging off the actual phone, btw).

 

[Kanda]

Makes you wonder how many people in the US/UK iQueues were fakes too.

Doubt O2 would fund that. Orange however.. sad idiots lol

 

[editor]

Doubt O2 would fund that. Orange however.. sad idiots lol

I wouldn't be surprised if Apple had paid for people to sit in their UK/US queues.

 

[Iam]

No arguments here, that is fucking sad.

 

[Lazy Llama]

Telcos suck

 

[Lazy Llama]

I wouldn't be surprised if Apple had paid for people to sit in their UK/US queues.

Frankly, I think Apple's PR is more subtle. I don't recall any launch parties, celeb iPhone freebies or such.

I really don't think they'd need to, there are enough fanboy idiots to sit in queues for free, especially if they think they'll get media coverage.

The sooner the media stops covering this queuing bollocks, the sooner it'll stop.

When was the last time you heard about people queuing days in advance for a movie, which used to be relatively common.

 

[editor]

Frankly, I think Apple's PR is more subtle. I don't recall any launch parties, celeb iPhone freebies or such.

I'm not so sure and still have my suspicions.

After all, when it comes to generating publicity, spinning PR and giving bloggers something to talk about, Apple are the absolute kings, so why not pay for a few people to get the queue started and the stories circulating?

It worked, after all.

 

[Lazy Llama]

Those queues outside food shops in the Soviet Union were started by the Kremlin to keep the comrades interested in vodka and potatoes

It worked, after all.

 

[Gromit]

I wouldn't be surprised if Apple had paid for people to sit in their UK/US queues.

They wouldn't have needed to in the US. Massive geek intrest, geeks with plenty of disposable income. They have plenty of idiots happy to queue for free.

Poland is a different matter. Wages are very low and so something like an iPhone is a massive purchase so they really have to feed the hype.

I know its naughty. Part of me doesn't agree with it....
But then I've also walked past empty restuarants and thought to myself that if I was them I'd pay a few stooges to make the place look popular because otherwise people will be put off and not enter. Just like me *walks on by*.

Sometimes you really do have to pump prime your demand.

 

[editor]

Those queues outside food shops in the Soviet Union were started by the Kremlin to keep the comrades interested in vodka and potatoes

Err, those queues were there because there wasn't enough food to go around.

You could pick up an iPhone in most stores on launch day by casually sauntering a few hours after the whoopin', high fivin' fanboy fuckwits had left to rub themselves into an iFrenzy.

 

[Lazy Llama]

There were plenty of people who couldn't get one for love nor money on launch day, ask Marius.

Shortage -> queue. Like you said.

 

[Kanda]

Took me over a week too!

For both versions.

 

[editor]

There were plenty of people who couldn't get one for love nor money on launch day, ask Marius.

Shortage -> queue. Like you said.

Shouldn't that be: massive, relentless hype + massively hyped launch time + failure (accidental or intentional) to meet demand = press generating iQueue.

There were plenty of examples of the the first iPhone not selling out during its first UK launch, despite the ludicrous crash barriers erected to deal with the non existent queues.

I find this whole fanboy "must MUST have the phone on launch day" farrago rather embarrassing myself. Far more popular and successful phones manage to launch without this US-style consumerist circus.

 

[Lazy Llama]

So are you saying that the hype does or doesn't work?
First iPhone hyped but didn't sell, 2nd iPhone was hyped but did sell.

And that non-existent queue? - http://www.macworld.co.uk/ipod-itunes/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=19623
Or was it because Apple paid people to stand in line this time? Yeah, that'd be it.

 

[editor]

And that non-existent queue?

For the first launch, yes. There was many cases of massive queues failing to materialise. It was well documented at the time.

I find this whole forced queue bullshit embarrassing to be honest. Like I said, far more successful and popular phones have managed to launch without this ridiculous PR circus starting up every time.

And don't I think it's beyond the wildest possibilities that Apple may have paid a few people to get the queue started in some places. After all, it all feeds into the hype that they're so good at generating.

 

[Gromit]

So are you saying that the hype does or doesn't work?
First iPhone hyped but didn't sell, 2nd iPhone was hyped but did sell.

And that non-existent queue? - http://www.macworld.co.uk/ipod-itunes/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=19623
Or was it because Apple paid people to stand in line this time? Yeah, that'd be it.

I personally think the 2nd phone sold not cause of hype but because it was now 3G and cheaper.

All the hype in the world wouldn't have worked if the unit price had gone up.

 

[Lazy Llama]

I agree that it's not beyond the wildest possibilities that Apple may have paid a few people to get the queue started. However, there's no evidence to support that apart from a telco in Poland doing it. No Apple-paid queuers have been uncovered at any of the other iPhone queues as far as I'm aware. If you know otherwise...

Having said that, here's evidence that being proper actors, the American queuers insisted on a dress rehearsal, two weeks before the event.

 

[Gromit]

Project launch flashmobs!

Get the manufacturer really excited and then when the doors open all run away laughing and pointing.

Whose up for it?

 

[editor]

For the record: I'm not attacking the iPhone here - I think it's an innovative, clever, if slightly flawed, handset - but I'm attacking the ghastly, uber-consumerist, frenzied high fivin', whoopin' culture that comes with it.

Marius: I like it

 

[Kanda]

It's Apple you despise not the iPhone

 

[Iam]

Modern consumerist culture itself, though, innit as much as Apple or 02.

I don't like it either, but I don't believe it's necessary to participate in the whooping bullshit. I just want the phone.

First one I've paid for in about 8 years.

No whooping occurred.