By not being a customer you’re an idiot says new Komplett advertising campaign:
(Begin the photoshopping)
I’m not sure how such a campaign will go over in Ireland. By using emotional blackmail to push people into shopping with you, you can quite easily turn them against you. This has to be the stupidest advertising I’ve seen in Ireland in a while. Let’s hope these ads don’t encourage additional name-calling between people.
What it also suggests is if we somehow use that thing called logic is that unless you’ve always been shopping with Komplett then you too are an idiot but Komplett want your money anyway. Now that’s respect for the customer right there. I used to recommend Komplett.ie to lots of friends and associates. That stops today.
This is their press release on the matter:
“You’re Not An Idiot, Right?”, Komplett Asks Consumers
Key Facts· Komplett is asking consumers across the country if they are really silly enough to be forking out massive amounts of money over the odds to retail stores this Christmas
· Flagship campaign rolled out across the country on billboards, in newspapers and magazines to point out the massive savings to be made purchasing online versus in the high street
· Challenging campaign with the slogan “You’re Not An Idiot… Right?” to drive the Komplett brand home and pick up market share from the rip-off-retailers
Update: Via an email from their country manager:
Of course a campaign like this is supposed to generate some interest – we’re a much smaller player, relatively, and have to make noise in a smart manner. I think that once people get past being called an idiot, they’ll take home the message that they could be saving themselves a lot of money by purchasing online.
… I’m just glad it’s garnering a response at all
It’s misspelled in the first place it’s‘Egit’ isn’t it?
So if I don’t shop at Komplett I am an idiot ? Well so be it I don’t need abuse from a place I may buy goods at. If they think that of me imagine how they would treat my order!
Having dealt with Komplett in a work capacity I can safely say – you’d be a proper tool for buying from them.
Excellent advertising! So effective that Komplett have managed to wrangle an add on mulley.net. If I were them I’d change “idiot” to “ignoramus” though, as its ignorance that keeps people lashing the cash for overpriced products in shops. Plus “ignoramus” isn’t a commonly used term these days so it wouldn’t be taken that seriously.
ive been buying from them for years, they should really back that campaign up. A very silly campaign. They should have more respect for their customers, especially long term ones.
Positive advertising might get a better response?
I don’t buy online, in general, and comparing prices
the PCWorld shop I go to is very competitive.
Also nothing can beat advice from a good sales assistant.
I’ve always bought from Komplett, so thankfully I’m not an idiot 🙂
But yes, I do agree, it is a little offensive…
I shopped around for a bunch of pc components there recently and found that misco.ie were far cheaper than komplett or anyone else (although their shipping dept were shite but I eventually got eveything in the end!)
Well, they have a point. Anyone paying ridiculous money on the “high street” is an idiot in the age of eCommerce.
I’ve dealt with Komplett for years without a single problem and I have to say that their service is first rate; at least in my experience anyhow.
As for the advertising campaign – it has already paid dividends. Everyone’s talking about it, it grabbed my attention first thing this morning when I went to check the weekly offers. It’s a age-old trick of grabbing attention. I personally don’t see any offence in it and that’s not just because I shop with them.
It was the do it or you’re an idiot campaign style that gave us our government for the last 15 years – sadly that one really backfired in a big way on the customers. 😉
Silly, ill conceived and offensive add but….I priced a komplett desktop for editing video and they beat competititors by miles
I’ve no problem with it, its a campaign designed to grap peoples attention, which they are getting…now…
Badly worded ad but the sentiment is good.
Reminds me of a cold call I got from Perlico a year or two ago. After not convincing me of their wonderful product, the salesperson asked incredulously “So, you don’t want cheaper calls?”. I hung up.
If I call you an idiot, will you feature my company on your blog?
@Antoin Are people that don’t use your Bus Service idiots?
There is no point in a campaign getting people talking if it doesn’t get people also spending money. The money bit is more important, actually.
Frankly I think this campaign sucks. Komplett are mugs if they pay their advertising agency for a campaign that puts people’s back up. There are lots of alternatives to them – they are not the only online shippers; I’ve looked at elara, dabs and pixmania, plus technikdirekt as well. Why should I spend my money with a company that brands their potential customers as idiots? Presumably they want to grow their customer base, right? Right?
the last time I bought from them I found their online support people to be quite agressive and obnoxious. i wouldn’t piss on them if they were on fire.
Wow. I can’t believe how seriously you’re all taking this! I guess Komplett can’t either! :p
Seriously though… what’s more offensive? Komplett making a joke about being mad for shopping retail? Or EirCon and BT going on about how everyone should now get 7.6Mbps broadband thanks to the upgraded exchanges WHEN MOST OF THE LINES IN THE COUNTRY ARE STILL SO BAD YOU CAN’T GET 2MBPS LIVING VIRTUALLY NEXT DOOR TO THE EXCHANGE?!! Now that’s what I call offensive!!
Well, at least they are calling a spade a spade. The likes of the overpriced retailers are laughing up their sleeves (and all the way to the bank) at the idiots that are all too easily parted with more of their money than neccesary…
I think people should take a deep breath and get over themselves – just remember the titles of two of the most successful educational/informational book ranges of all time: ‘… For Dummies’ and ‘The Idiots Guide To …”
Hello? Fianna Fail?
Most Irish people are quite clearly idiots…
I would never do that. However, I do recognise quality metalwork when I see it.
But I AM an idiot!
A spud-eating leprechaun with a drink problem, to be exact.
Will I still be able to avail of their low, low prices? Please say yes!
“Hello? Fianna Fail?
Most Irish people are quite clearly idiots…”
And I suppose that there’s an awesome alternative out there?
PS: If you mention Enda I’m going to find you.
I’ve bought tons of stuff on Komplett over the years and never had 1 single problem. I like their site and checkout process but the shipping is gettin a little dear!
Anyway, do adds like that even work or get looked at any more!? People know what they want these days and will go straight to browsing or search and not even notice blatant advertising, theres so much of it around people just ignore it..
If the reverse psychology tactics used in that add actually work then people ARE idiots!!
Thank you.
“Hello? Fianna Fail?
Most Irish people are quite clearly idiots…”
… Actually, according to current popularity polls… clearly not.
Hello. Election 2007?
The definition of madness is doing the same thing time and again and expecting a different result.
Talking about Enda is a complete strawman, the people of the country wanted a good shafting and by jaysus, they got it!
Whose the komplett idiot then??
– not sure that this is ‘noise in a smart manner’.
As for rip-off retailers. Yes they are more expensive but that’s because there is a store, stock in the shop, a sales guy on the floor. They have a presence and try to create some employment along the way.
Komplett is cheaper because it’s costs are minimal – according to their web site all orders are processed in their warehouse in the Netherlands (lower operationals costs), so they don’t even have stock in Ireland, you pay to pick up your purchase from their their pick up point in Blanchardstown, odds are support is not even provided in Ireland even if you are paying 15c per minute to talk to someone – so this is just not comparing like with like.
– misleading, cynical and treating the public like idiots.
[…] an interesting discussion on Damien Mulley’s blog about the new ad from Komplett.ie which may be interpreted to read that Komplett consider […]
I certainly hope they didn’t pay an ad agency for an “original idea”. Media Markt has been running exactly the same theme for years in Germany. I personally found it offensive but it’s worked so well that people started using it in their daily speech.
What’s all the fuss about?
The ad doesn’t call ANYone an idiot, in fact it says “you’re not an idiot”.
It implies that BECAUSE you’re not an idiot you shouldn’t pay more at retail stores.
If you DO choose to pay more elsewhere, it doesn’t mean you ARE an idiot … but if you ARE an idiot, you might go elsewhere, not realising that you shouldn’t.
Merry Expensive Christmas
Who is it that finds the ad offensive?
Idiots, who don’t like to be labelled as such,
or non-idiots, who are happy to waste their money spending more than they need to?
It’s the loud, crass style of advertising that doesn’t wash with the Irish. The same type that Harvey Norman have used for the last 25 or so years since they first came to Ireland. I wrote about this in my blog last week:
http://dotwebs.com/blog/index.php/2008/12/go-harvey-go/
Irish people don’t like being told what to do, particularly if it’s being shouted at us. It won’t work here.
Ehhh, Cillit Bang, anyone?
Loud, brash, uber-annoying character Barry Scott (Neil Burgess) … hugely effective, and popular in the UK, Ireland, and Internet.
Helped boost manufacturer, Reckitt Benckister’s already healthy profits by 20% when introduced in 2005.
Oddly enough, I don’t find that so annoying – just funny!
‘Xactly… each to their own.
Happy New Year!
Barry Scott is a hero of mine… no job is too tough for him and his bottle of ‘Bang!