Does my Tivo get me? Sometimes it does. Other times while looking through the Tivo Suggestions folder I’ve wondered if we’ve been watching the same television. I mean, anyone who knows me knows that I’m not the kind to watch Lifetime or those baby/bridal shows, yet somehow Tivo seems to think I should be watching these shows. Maybe it’s trying to send me a message. You know, like that I need to be more girly. Um, not gonna happen.
So, I clearly have a love/hate relationship with my Tivo. Here’s what I love about my Tivo. I love that bloop bloop sound it makes when you press the buttons. I love being able to listen to Live 365 and podcasts on it. And LOVE that I can download any show I record to my computer. I hate that I can’t watch one program and record another (even with the new Tivo machines which I found out the hard way are not compatible with my digital cable.) I hate that I can’t get a new machine without signing a new (read=more expensive) service agreement.
The other day I got one of their monthly email newsletters and it had a link to a new site they’ve developed, My Tivo Gets Me. It’s designed to create Tivo brand ambassadors. You go on there and create a profile complete with a flash application to upload a picture and put the signature Tivo antennae on your head. Cute. Then you fill out the form to join their community and pass on valuable marketing data. Brilliant.
Is this the new trend in social media marketing? Uploading pictures and branding yourself with their antennae, moustaches, or baby-making? It’s a marketers dream come true. Everyone wearing the company logo. Good stuff.
So the site is cute, and it creates passionate users. Will that make non-believers drink the kool-aid? Doubt it. But it definitely gives the air of exclusivity. Yay, I’m in the Tivo club! Whatever that means.
Here the problem. Tivo has a great brand. They were they first to create the technology. But somewhere along the way they went the way of Sony (as in walkman), not wanting to accept that they needed anyone else to grow or wanting to merge technologies, always wanting to be the innovators. If Tivo had approached the cable companies before everything went digital perhaps a deal could’ve been worked out. But instead the cable companies went and developed their own DVRs. No matter how awesome a company’s branding campaign is, if they can’t keep up with the technology the consumers will not follow.
All the cool features that Tivo offers are great but they forgot the reason people buy DVRs. To record and watch TV. If they gave as much focus to what the consumers really wanted they’d still be leaders. And if the customer service guy didn’t try to tell me that I had connected the box wrong and was upfront about the compatibly issue with Tivo and digital cable I wouldn’t now be seriously considering switching to cable company’s DVR.
Oh, and what’s with the 2nd guy from right who looks like Andy Samburg? Can someone pass him my digits?
And I just have to ask: what’s with the US Army recruiting commercials on the Tivo Central panel? My Tivo SO doesn’t get me.
Site Stats:
PR 0
Alexa 380,926
Compete 41,019
Screenshots after the jump.
Bookmarks