[AndreYew]

I agree with the comments on the girl.  She looks great, but she doesn't add to the product or show why the M8 is the best thing of its kind.  I'd look at the Apple ads for great examples of showing maybe 1 or 2 really great features of the product (even if there are a dozen great features), so people get it really quickly (so no long paragraphs of prose).  The M8 is going to succeed on its own merits, and it has a lot of them, so why not clearly showcase 1 of them in the ad?
 
One idea might be its unique mix size and portability, and its ability to drive the biggest, toughest headphones.  Maybe show some kind of visual contradiction of how tiny it is (with a coin or an iPhone), and a pair of giant orthos next to it, all done in a very clean, simple, graphic way (eg. Apple's white backgrounds with a gorgeous photo of the product).  You could extend this to the breadth of its connectivity and its versatility of being a desktop and portable amp in 2 other separate ads.  I'm thinking of that it's a product that manages to do the impossible: mix big and small, power and long-life, etc.
 
If this is going to be aimed at the Apple crowd, then doing an ad campaign that is similar in production values would be a natural way to appeal to those people.

 

[mgoodman]

All great points, thanks - we are humbled and going back to the drawing board.

 

[eron]

Quote:

I, for one, am a sucker for cool electronics and beautiful women, so you have the right elements already to grab me.  Maybe some layout refinement might help bring it all together better.

I think those people that expressively disliked the 'girl in the ad' must be real audio professionals who would not even turn their head on Miranda Kerr.
 
I'm guessing that the ad will be in 'audio', or 'pro-audio' related publications. As such, there will be many many ads with pictures of products. M8 doesn't particularly stand out as a good looking product, especially if you show the back. So there needs to be something to draw people's attention.
 
Sex sells. Especially in an industry dominated by males. The picture is distracting, but it will capture people's attention in an array of similar products. There are other ways too, like printing big: "FREE CEntrance Amp".
 
I like constructive suggestions like AndreYew's above.
 
Or show a shrinking of the DacMini. Like the "DacMini just got portable". Flip the page, show M8.
Or, say "The iPhone just got even more personal...The HiFi M8 personalised/customized to suit your audiophile needs."
--
 
To the cognitive side of the Ad:
I like "Portable. Nirvana".
I don't understand "USB, DAC, Reimagined". USB DACs usually don't need batteries. Dacport LX? So a little confused by the term highlighted there.
 
Text usually show what the picture cannot. It's clear to balanced output users that it drives 3pin dual output. However, because of that, people might think it doesn't output 3.5mm or 1/4". Needless to say the other outputs you are catering.
 
The ad states iPhone, iPad. It supports many iPods too! Not sure about the Shuffle...
 
The CEntrance team is incredible. Thank you for listening to most of our comments!
--
"Portable. Nirvana. Anyway you want it. Almost."
--
Another take at having a model's picture in there:
Use a male model this time!
"For you, he sweats. For you, he bleeds. For you, HiFi-M8."

 

[Mediahound]

Okay, curiousity got me, where is the link to this ad?

 

[fuzzyash]

Quote:

Now I'm extremely embarrassed, but it's in the blog:
 
http://centrance.com/products/new/blog/

 
Quote:

Okay, curiousity got me, where is the link to this ad?

 
their most recent post on their blog

 

[Chexxchexx]

Please don't be embarrassed.  The peanut gallery isn't always right, and certainly not always helpful.  This isn't to impugn anyone who has voiced their opinion here, but I would learn the professional backgrounds of people chiming in before taking it in too much.  

Fraggler,
Bear in mind that, as part of the target audience for the product, the peanut gallery comments are absolutely relevant. And, given that the feedback was constructive (and echoed...by none other than yourself), I'd argue it was, indeed, helpful.

 

[FraGGleR]

Quote:

Fraggler,
Bear in mind that, as part of the target audience for the product, the peanut gallery comments are absolutely relevant. And, given that the feedback was constructive (and echoed...by none other than yourself), I'd argue it was, indeed, helpful.

For product design and functionality, we are the most demanding of consumers so it is smart of CEntrance to poll us while developing.  However, we are also in the group of people who are either sold or not sold based on it already, primarily based on functionality and price.  The ad is to get the people who aren't in this community or at least not at this level of interest or education about the product to ask questions.  So yes, we are a part of the target audience for the product, but ad space is wasted trying to get us.  The ad should be designed to capture the attention of people who don't already know about the product and get them to ask more.  In that respect, and perhaps I should have explained more earlier, I don't know if polling us on the ad will be as useful as on the product design.  Certainly, our opinions matter, but if Michael wants a really good ad designed to get the most widespread interest, he should poll people who specialize in marketing.  

 

[Chexxchexx]

And, Michael, I hope my comments didn't come across the wrong way. I can assure you they were intended merely to point out things that, as the designer, you might be too close to realize. The ad looks good. I just think half of the real estate is being under-utilized. You've poured your heart and soul into this product so I'd like to see it wind up being a commercial success for you.

 

[Chexxchexx]

For product design and functionality, we are the most demanding of consumers so it is smart of CEntrance to poll us while developing.  However, we are also in the group of people who are either sold or not sold based on it already, primarily based on functionality and price.  The ad is to get the people who aren't in this community or at least not at this level of interest or education about the product to ask questions.  So yes, we are a part of the target audience for the product, but ad space is wasted trying to get us.  The ad should be designed to capture the attention of people who don't already know about the product and get them to ask more.  In that respect, and perhaps I should have explained more earlier, I don't know if polling us on the ad will be as useful as on the product design.  Certainly, our opinions matter, but if Michael wants a really good ad designed to get the most widespread interest, he should poll people who specialize in marketing.  

Well said. Fair points.

 

[Mediahound]

Okay, my 2 cents on the ad: no need to go back to the drawing board. I like the ad, just make a simple change. 
 
I took the liberty of doing a mockup for improving it. I hope that's ok.
 
I like it better like this (with the model on top):
 
This:
 

 
vs. the original:
 

 
 
 
There are various reasons for this but mainly with it the original way, the eye moves down to the girl and stops there. My way, the eye still moves down and stops at the products, which is what you want.
 
You see her, you read "Portable.Nirvana", you see the products. That's really the sequence you want. 
 
Personally, I have no problem with the model at all. 

 

[ExpatinJapan]

I suggested the same changes on the blog-nice work.


Hands are getting more creepy the more i look.

 

[Mediahound]

Quote:

I suggested the same changes on the blog-nice work.
Hands are getting more creepy the more i look.

 
Yeah, her hands only look slightly weird because they are brighter than the face. If the face was the same brightness, it would be much better.
 
Sorta better?:
 

 

[mgoodman]

I do like the inverted shape - well put phototristan! The eye naturally does look up and then down, not the other way.
 
I just hope that Jude and the powers that be don't boot us from the forum for discussing things that have nothing to do with audio - like advertising, psychology and women

 

[aamefford]

I do like the inverted shape - well put phototristan! The eye naturally does look up and then down, not the other way.

I just hope that Jude and the powers that be don't boot us from the forum for discussing things that have nothing to do with audio - like advertising, psychology and women

I would argue they all have something to do with audio...

 

[wormsdriver]

Who's hands are those! that's creepy!

anyhow, I like the ad as phototristan re-did it(much more natural/better flow), no need for a new one.
...I'm just saying