Sony continues to see the potential of e-books, says BW

[astra]

Originally Posted by Studio717

I still don't understand the whole "I'll never give up reading real books" mindset.

Unfortunatelly, I (in the past/present?) was/am one of them. I still enjoy reading a real book more than even Sony Reader let alone any other less convenient gadgets. My eyes like a printed text of hardback editions more than text of any electronic gadget (even Sony Reader). Letters are bigger, at the same time more fits on one page and reading from real paper feels somehow more satisfying. I don't know how to explain it though...just a feeling.

2 biggest pros are:
One - I don't need to buy a third bookshelf with glass doors from IKEA and as end result I don't have to think where to put it in my house.
Two - I like hardback editions (I still buy them though, like adult boxset HP 1-6 two days ago) and some of them are quite heavy, such as 5th and 7th volumes of The Dark Tower, while Sony reader is easier to handle. Although a few times I just picked up a hardback edition of whatever I was reading on the reader and would read the book relaxing on sofa because I enjoyed the sensation much more.

Nonetheless, the reader wins 100% vs. paperback editions.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Well, for a company that "still believes" in e-books, Sony really isn't doing much to show it.

I mean, the article mentions upcoming ads in NYT, USA Today and Vanity Fair (and I'm still trying to figure out how Sony thought VF was a major market to hit), and ads in airports and train stations (but will anyone be selling the readers at those airports and train stations?). And that's it. No ads in the gadget-lovers' periodicals? Not even Popular Science? Not even Gear? No TV commercials and appearances?

You call that advertising? That's a joke. The article doesn't mention how small is the segment of people who are familiar with the device, versus those who have never seen or heard of it. Talk about stealth marketing, that's downright invisible... the only people who are finding the device are those who are tripping over it.

Sony? Comments?

[happyreader]

I've seen an online ad at tech websites. It's been reviewed by several tech publication/websites.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Ads at tech sites are good, though popular and mainstream sites would be better. Reviews aren't ads... many people don't read reviews unless they're considering buying the device in the first place, and mainstream people won't see a review on a tech site.

And let's face it, a good TV commercial can blow all of these right out of the water.

[happyreader]

The Reader isn't selling enough to justify spending millions on a tv ad campaign.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

You don't buy ads after a product's already selling... that's a waste of money. You buy ads to sell a product that's not selling enough!

[happyreader]

No that's not really the case.

One has to consider whether the sales benefit will exceed the cost of the ad campaign.

And Gear magazine went under several years ago.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by happyreader

One has to consider whether the sales benefit will exceed the cost of the ad campaign.

Well, if you don't think your product is good enough... I mean, if you can't spend millions, do an appearance on HSN! C'mon, we're talking about Sony! I sincerely doubt they manufactured the Reader and created Connect Books because they only expect to make a few hundred thousand on the deal...

Originally Posted by happyreader

And Gear magazine went under several years ago.

Okay, my bad... so you sell it in Playboy, Maxim, FHM, etc. but you get my point. Advertising = many sales. No advertising = few sales. Sony Reader = few sales. Math majors, feel free to step up and finish this equation.

[Cthulhu]

Steve:

I feel your frustration.

Popular Science--or was it Mechanics?--named the SONY Reader the best gadget/new tech thingamahickey last year, and that was long before it was sold anywhere save SONYStyle and Borders.

However, SONY has reason to be so cautious with its millions. From the perspective of many, they are re-inventing the wheel, fixing what is unbroken, and selling what don't need sold.

I personally find the Reader to be amazing.

For my two cents, my brilliant ad campaign involves market research/surveys of technofiles and commuting business people. Give 100 Readers to people all over the US, have a document on the Reader that explains RSS, purchases, &tc, and then alllow the people to use them for a month.
E-Ink is phenomenal, and unless someone sees it, they will say "Oh, why no backlight, how silly.."
Maybe a TV campaign, like the one showcasing the iPhone, is what's needed.

Either that, or SONY salespeople on street corners shouting "Holy Hand Grenades! Check out this amazing device!"

Of course, all that will cost more than two cents US. ;-

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

That ad campaign sounds good. A good addition to it would be quick shots of people using the readers, perhaps connected with the survey comments from the people in your ads: Shots of a user reading on the beach; comfortably reading in a tight commuting space (with a nearby newspaper reader struggling to get their paper out); showing off their library in a small apartment (probably right next to their iPod); reading by campfire-light; reading while waiting in the doctor's office; etc.

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by Cthulhu

Either that, or SONY salespeople on street corners shouting "Holy Hand Grenades! Check out this amazing device!"

Do they have to wear the cape and tights for that?