Selecciones - Webs

Belch: Advertising and
Promotion, Sixth Edition
IMC PERSPECTIVE 6-2
174
III. Analyzing the
Communication Process
6. Source, Message, and
Channel Factors
The Dell Dude Connects With PC Buyers
Every so often an advertising character jumps out of
the television screen and into the hearts of consumers.
A few years ago it was “Stuart”—the geeky, red-headed
know-it-all who appeared in commercials for online
stock trading company Ameritrade—who struck a chord
with viewers. The latest ad spokesperson generating
the buzz is “Steven,” the lovable blond surfer dude who
gives expert advice to people shopping for a home computer.
The “Dell Dude” is played by Ben Curtis, a 21-yearold
student who studies acting at New York University
and hails from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Curtis got the
role after an audition, and his first appearances in a
Dell commercial came in late 2000 in a spot in which he
makes a video for his parents explaining why they
should buy him a Dell personal computer. Although Dell
switched ad agencies a few months after Curtis was
hired, the company and its new agency, DDB Chicago,
knew they had a star in the making and retained the
Steven character as its “spokesdude.”
Over the past two years “Steven” has appeared in
more than 10 commercials for Dell including a popular
spot where he hawks Dells while driving his dad’s convertible
with a hot brunette seated next to him. The
commercials use a clever blend of humor and salesmanship
by portraying Steven as a hip teenager who
convinces his parents, his friends’ parents, and even
random people he meets to buy computers from Dell.
Shortly after taking over the account, DDB’s creative
group added the quip: “Dude, you're gettin’ a Dell” to
Steven’s pitch and the phrase has slowly been seeping
into pop-culture vernacular. The ad campaign has
© The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2003
helped Dell put a friendly face on its personal computers—a
product category that is often intimidating to
consumers. Dell’s senior manager of consumer advertising
says that Steven “has changed our image into
that of an approachable company, a company that
makes technology easy and fun.” The ads have also
helped sales, as Dell’s share of the home segment of
the personal computer market has increased significantly
since the campaign was launched.
Curtis’s success as the Dell Dude demonstrates the
importance of casting in creating effective advertising.
The creative director at DDB notes that the right
casting is as important as the right message since
you need somebody to bring it to life. Curtis clearly
brings the Dell Dude to life as “Steven” is described as
a modern-day Tom Sawyer who appeals to a broad
range of consumers. He receives fan mail from teenybopper
girls who want to date him as well as from
seniors who like his Eddie Haskell–like charm. The
“Dell Guy,” as he is often referred to, boasts one of the
largest advertising fan-club message boards on
Yahoo, with over 500 members as well as numerous
fan websites. Curtis has been interviewed on the
Today Show, CNN, and ABC’s 20/20 Downtown and
been featured in articles in The Wall Street Journal,
USA Today, and many other publications. Curtis also
makes appearances at Dell events to rally employees
as well as at industry trade shows such as Comdex. In
recognition of his celebrity status, Dell created a new
web “sitelet” that fans can visit to find out more about
Curtis and his latest ads.
In late 2002 Dell announced that “Steven” would be
playing a smaller role in its advertising, although the
company still plans to use him in the future. However,
some analysts note that the company may not want to
use “the Dell Dude” as it focuses more on selling its
computers to businesses. Curtis knows that the fame
he is currently enjoying may be short-lived but hopes he
can use it as a launchpad for his ultimate goal of
becoming an actor. He worries somewhat about being
typecast as a surfer dude but says that the pay helps
with school and the expense of living in New York. So
goes the life of Madison Avenue’s newest mini-celebrity.
Sources: Michael McCarthy, “Goofy Dell Guy Exudes Star Power;
‘Steven’ Wins Over Bunches of Computer Buyers,” USA Today, Jan.
14, 2002, p. B5; Suzanne Vranica, “Dell, Starting New Campaign,
Plans for Life Without Steven,” The Wall Street Journal, October 16,
2002, p. B3.