[Ilugc] BOSS Linux Advertising
- From: metherid@xxxxxxxxx (Rahul Sundaram)
- Date: Sat Jun 5 08:55:33 2010
On 06/05/2010 08:24 AM, Satish Eerpini wrote:
I have seen the BOSS Linux ad on other regional channels too, but the
problem is they advertise it as Linux and not BOSS or atleast "BOSS
Linux" , it reads as "so and so program is sponsored by Linux, Rexona,
Clinic Plus .... etc etc "
It is pretty much impossible to explain Linux or FOSS within a few
seconds of advertising and if you try to conceptualize it, you will end
up with something like the IBM Linux super bowl ad. Just in case you
haven't seen that, take a look at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwL0G9wK8j4
I am not sure that is very effective. Although it is a not a TV ad,
Red Hat's series of films
(
http://www.redhat.com/videos/opensource/films.html) including Truth
Happens are quite popular and always evoke a great response. End users
don't care about Linux or Windows or whatever. That is a implementation
detail that people with a fascination for technology talk attach
themselves to and that is always going be a very tiny minority.
Consumers care about specific products if it makes a difference in their
lives. People care about their iPod's because it plays their music.
They don't care the operating system it runs or the format of the
music. So effectively, if at all you see TV ads or ads via any medium
with "Linux" in it, it is guaranteed to be associated with a
(commercial) product. Be it BOSS Linux or IBM on demand services or Red
Hat or Novell etc.
We shouldn't be lamenting about it because regardless of the specific
product being advertised, it raises the profile of Linux on the whole.
When I originally started out with Linux, when I mention it in
bookstores or something, they would try and correct me and ask if I was
talking about UNIX. That problem went away years back and that is a
positive step. I think these ads might help regardless of whether BOSS
Linux itself succeeds in the market place or not. In short, a rising
tide lifts all boats.
Rahul
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