Two corporate announcements, but what about ROI?

September 18, 2006 By

Look at AMD’s Virtual IT Experience and compare it to the video demo Rick Brown did in his office showing off Adobe Acrobat. One took about 15 minutes of Rick’s time to do. One take. No committee meetings. No makeup. No lights. One guy to sneak into the company (I do all the video, audio, and interviewing). But the AMD one probably cost near a million dollars to produce and needed a LOT of Web design time, not to mention studio video shooting, which is very expensive.

I wish I could compare a few things about these two presentations:

1) How many people watched to the end of both? (My theory is that the Acrobat demo was watched to completion by a much higher number of people because it wasn’t so scripted and slick). I turned off the AMD one before even the intro was done. But maybe that’s just me.
2) How many people were convinced to change their minds about these two companies? (My theory is that the Acrobat demo will win here too because Rick doesn’t go into too salesy of a mode, just shows us around the tool and lets us draw our own conclusions).
3) How many recommendations will each get on the Web? Luckily this one I can actually track through Technorati. My theory is that Adobe will win here, too, because the video breaks real news and doesn’t get all slick and hypey.

What do you think? Which approach do you like better? Would you spend the million dollars? Or would you just invite me over with my camcorder for a chat? It sure would be easier to build a company if everyone wanted to spend the million bucks, that’s for sure!

Which one has a better ROI? (Return On Investment?)

Disclaimer: PodTech.net has a business relationship with Adobe, but I was not paid to do this video (I asked PR if I could interview someone on the team and get a demo). PodTech was, however, paid to do a variety of podcasts, which are located in the “Corporate” bar on the PodTech home page. I was on the Acrobat 1.0 beta team back in 1994/95 and thought that a new version of Acrobat is a news story worthy of me covering it without any financial recompense. But, even if Adobe had paid some fee wouldn’t that have still gotten a better result than the AMD effort which probably cost about a million?

Filed Under: 1
← Older Comments
  • http://blog.macb.net macbeach

    Well, yes, I’m sure the AMD presentation cost more to put together. It worked first time, flawlessly on my less than standard Linux installation too, but it also gave me alternate ways to get the information such as downloading (uh) PDF files. Maybe AMD should rent-out some of their web people to Adobe to teach them how to create robust web content.

    You would think, of course that Adobe should BE the experts at this sort of thing. Which is why a shoot-from-the-hip ad campaign might not be a total success for them.

  • http://macbeach.blogspot.com Mac Beach

    Well, yes, I’m sure the AMD presentation cost more to put together. It worked first time, flawlessly on my less than standard Linux installation too, but it also gave me alternate ways to get the information such as downloading (uh) PDF files. Maybe AMD should rent-out some of their web people to Adobe to teach them how to create robust web content.

    You would think, of course that Adobe should BE the experts at this sort of thing. Which is why a shoot-from-the-hip ad campaign might not be a total success for them.

  • http://blog.macb.net macbeach

    Well, yes, I’m sure the AMD presentation cost more to put together. It worked first time, flawlessly on my less thatn standard Linux installation too, but it also gave me alternate ways to get the information such as downloading (uh) PDF files. Maybe AMD should rent-out some of their web people to Adobe to teach them how to create robust web content.

    You would think, of course that Adobe should BE the experts at this sort of thing. Which is why a shoot-from-the-hip ad campaign might not be a total success for them.

  • http://macbeach.blogspot.com Mac Beach

    Well, yes, I’m sure the AMD presentation cost more to put together. It worked first time, flawlessly on my less thatn standard Linux installation too, but it also gave me alternate ways to get the information such as downloading (uh) PDF files. Maybe AMD should rent-out some of their web people to Adobe to teach them how to create robust web content.

    You would think, of course that Adobe should BE the experts at this sort of thing. Which is why a shoot-from-the-hip ad campaign might not be a total success for them.

  • http://blog.macb.net macbeach

    oops…Sorry for that dupe. Didn’t seem to go through the first time.

  • http://macbeach.blogspot.com Mac Beach

    oops…Sorry for that dupe. Didn’t seem to go through the first time.

  • Keith Patrick

    Robert: If I’m interested in both, I’m going to pick AMD over Adobe. AMD just makes cooler technology to me. Seriously, when I think Adobe, I think of Acrobat primarily (because it looooves to shove a splash screen over my browser) and because I do a lot of my own gfx, Photoshop and Illustrator. But none of them are really “cool” in my opinion (the latter two suffer because I’m a UI person & I think their UIs suck balls)…Acrobat is just an editor for a text format.
    Now, when I notice that AMD has a new site up, I’m thinking “this is the company that came up with Hypertransport & embedded memory controllers & 64-bit x86 & has a new CPU architecture coming out”. Ergo, if they have something new, I’m more curious to see what it is.
    Really, though, that initial spark has nothing to do with how pro or amateur the presentation is; it’s about (anticipated) content. I can further tie this back to an old argument you made that MySpace’s success was in part due to how crappy the pages look -> I’ll go at first because musicians I like have *content* there, but then I flee with profanities because seeing anything other than the first page requires me to sign up (VIRAL!). I think most of the pages are gaudy as hell, but my positives & negatives are about the meat & potatoes experience

  • Keith Patrick

    Robert: If I’m interested in both, I’m going to pick AMD over Adobe. AMD just makes cooler technology to me. Seriously, when I think Adobe, I think of Acrobat primarily (because it looooves to shove a splash screen over my browser) and because I do a lot of my own gfx, Photoshop and Illustrator. But none of them are really “cool” in my opinion (the latter two suffer because I’m a UI person & I think their UIs suck balls)…Acrobat is just an editor for a text format.
    Now, when I notice that AMD has a new site up, I’m thinking “this is the company that came up with Hypertransport & embedded memory controllers & 64-bit x86 & has a new CPU architecture coming out”. Ergo, if they have something new, I’m more curious to see what it is.
    Really, though, that initial spark has nothing to do with how pro or amateur the presentation is; it’s about (anticipated) content. I can further tie this back to an old argument you made that MySpace’s success was in part due to how crappy the pages look -> I’ll go at first because musicians I like have *content* there, but then I flee with profanities because seeing anything other than the first page requires me to sign up (VIRAL!). I think most of the pages are gaudy as hell, but my positives & negatives are about the meat & potatoes experience

  • Ricky

    Robert,

    Don’t worry about the ‘slickness’ of the AMD presentation.

    It TRIED to be slick.

    But it just didn’t cut it.

    You KNOW what slick looks like.

    You showed us the Ford “Bold Moves” videos for the Shelby Mustang.

    Those videos were slick enough to make Al Gore go out and secretly BUY one of those gas-guzzling, planet destroying, mega-horsepower-goodness behemoths.

    And those videos were only that slick because the Ford people had read Naked Conversations, seen Channel9, and shamelessly copied every idea, then ‘slicked the whole thing up’ with more slickness dollars than AMD would ever dream of spending on slickness.

    http://www.fordboldmoves.com

    “I know slick, and you, Mr AMD video, are no slick.”

    I’m not sure we want you to be that slick.

  • Ricky

    Robert,

    Don’t worry about the ‘slickness’ of the AMD presentation.

    It TRIED to be slick.

    But it just didn’t cut it.

    You KNOW what slick looks like.

    You showed us the Ford “Bold Moves” videos for the Shelby Mustang.

    Those videos were slick enough to make Al Gore go out and secretly BUY one of those gas-guzzling, planet destroying, mega-horsepower-goodness behemoths.

    And those videos were only that slick because the Ford people had read Naked Conversations, seen Channel9, and shamelessly copied every idea, then ‘slicked the whole thing up’ with more slickness dollars than AMD would ever dream of spending on slickness.

    http://www.fordboldmoves.com

    “I know slick, and you, Mr AMD video, are no slick.”

    I’m not sure we want you to be that slick.

  • Pingback: chriskelley.org » Blog Archive » Scoble brings me back down to earth

  • Russ Henry

    Robert: 26.
    Sorry. I keep thinking everyone is on the same page. ; ). If the speed is available for the adobe products, it can produce some very interesting personal research libraries.

    With the massive amount of new technology available for application folks to look at and absorb, we will need faster tools. I scan for tools, concepts, and spin-offs, which can reduce repetitive sequence tasks. I have used the video/digital photo and PowerPoint as a tool for 8-D’s etc. for years. Today it is not good enough to be well read. You have to be well “muti-media-ed” to coin a phrase. Your content is great. However, I still find myself jumping through the video’s. Time compression and speed viewing. It keeps you from “multi-medi-andering” # ; ) Please do not shorten them.

    Applications types do not look in one area. They look everywhere. What you are doing with the video content has provided me with massive zones for application. One of the things I have been preaching for years is KISS/ 80/20 rule. RSS is a politically correct KISS principle etc.

    The vision for the computer, if I am not mistaken was to free us up to do other things.
    I always look to solve problems with the generic solutions in the back of my mind.
    “Kaizen” … to quote a term, which was taught to Japan by an American. Generic can always be driven down to the specific solution.

    A very reputable support enterprise type vendor told me “sure we can do that in about 4 weeks for around $50K. When do you want me to start? “ I said no thanks and did it myself in less than 1 week with a little beta from a real programmer. It not your money! Right! Profit driven support base lol. Mustang 1969 less than $4000 ?? Today priceless!

    Your content is great. Sales talk = click close from an engineering standpoint.
    Good product does not require much selling. Bad software will sell once. Show me … WOW … check this out works so much better. Keep the fresh eye guys with the emotional cooooooools in the mix.

    I know you remember the old DOS die hard folks. Didn’t take long to sell them on windows when it became easy. I bought the 512 MAC when it came out with a programming language for the MAC. Now even the old DOS guys “get it”. Programming for programmers. Computers and programs should be intuitive and easy. How many times would you pick the milk up for the wife if you had to open 7 doors before you got to your jug. Cell phone conversation “honey I am still waiting for the last door to open.” Learning curve for more complex programs is not acceptable. Under extreme stress it can cost you your life if you forget the process sequence (DOD).

    Back to answering your 26. huh?
    The cool stuff has many applications. Tools for techs and everyone else. Keep raising the bar.

    “Knowledge is best served as a shared resource” reh 2000

  • Russ Henry

    Robert: 26.
    Sorry. I keep thinking everyone is on the same page. ; ). If the speed is available for the adobe products, it can produce some very interesting personal research libraries.

    With the massive amount of new technology available for application folks to look at and absorb, we will need faster tools. I scan for tools, concepts, and spin-offs, which can reduce repetitive sequence tasks. I have used the video/digital photo and PowerPoint as a tool for 8-D’s etc. for years. Today it is not good enough to be well read. You have to be well “muti-media-ed” to coin a phrase. Your content is great. However, I still find myself jumping through the video’s. Time compression and speed viewing. It keeps you from “multi-medi-andering” # ; ) Please do not shorten them.

    Applications types do not look in one area. They look everywhere. What you are doing with the video content has provided me with massive zones for application. One of the things I have been preaching for years is KISS/ 80/20 rule. RSS is a politically correct KISS principle etc.

    The vision for the computer, if I am not mistaken was to free us up to do other things.
    I always look to solve problems with the generic solutions in the back of my mind.
    “Kaizen” … to quote a term, which was taught to Japan by an American. Generic can always be driven down to the specific solution.

    A very reputable support enterprise type vendor told me “sure we can do that in about 4 weeks for around $50K. When do you want me to start? “ I said no thanks and did it myself in less than 1 week with a little beta from a real programmer. It not your money! Right! Profit driven support base lol. Mustang 1969 less than $4000 ?? Today priceless!

    Your content is great. Sales talk = click close from an engineering standpoint.
    Good product does not require much selling. Bad software will sell once. Show me … WOW … check this out works so much better. Keep the fresh eye guys with the emotional cooooooools in the mix.

    I know you remember the old DOS die hard folks. Didn’t take long to sell them on windows when it became easy. I bought the 512 MAC when it came out with a programming language for the MAC. Now even the old DOS guys “get it”. Programming for programmers. Computers and programs should be intuitive and easy. How many times would you pick the milk up for the wife if you had to open 7 doors before you got to your jug. Cell phone conversation “honey I am still waiting for the last door to open.” Learning curve for more complex programs is not acceptable. Under extreme stress it can cost you your life if you forget the process sequence (DOD).

    Back to answering your 26. huh?
    The cool stuff has many applications. Tools for techs and everyone else. Keep raising the bar.

    “Knowledge is best served as a shared resource” reh 2000

  • http://antonishontzeas.vox.com/ antonis hontzeas

    I dunno, who’s the target audience???

  • http://antonishontzeas.vox.com antonis hontzeas

    I dunno, who’s the target audience???

  • http://www.irwebreport.com/daily Dominic Jones

    You know, I just want to make PDFs out of my MS Office documents.

    Do I have to watch a video to do that?

  • http://www.irwebreport.com/daily Dominic Jones

    You know, I just want to make PDFs out of my MS Office documents.

    Do I have to watch a video to do that?

  • Whatever

    On the AMD site,
    try going to the AMD booth and clicking off the rollover and on to the top of the chip in the background. It’s like some ‘easter egg’ Matrix spoof thingy. It’s pretty cool, I wonder how much that cost to produce?

    I guess the better question is how much traffic will it drive?
    Whatever

  • Whatever

    On the AMD site,
    try going to the AMD booth and clicking off the rollover and on to the top of the chip in the background. It’s like some ‘easter egg’ Matrix spoof thingy. It’s pretty cool, I wonder how much that cost to produce?

    I guess the better question is how much traffic will it drive?
    Whatever

← Older Comments