Artists Endorsing Intel in 2011

In this early 2011 Intel has done interesting things for its marketing campaign.

- 18 January: Intel Korea unveiled a collaboration song with Korean Music Group: Girls' Generation (a.k.a. SNSD or So Nyuh Shi Dae). The title is Visual Dream. Here is a preview of the new Girls' Generation video which will kick off Intel's Korean marketing campaign for 2011. Girls' Generation will be featured in Intel's marketing materials in Korea, Japan and other selective Asian countries.

Picture 1 Girls' Generation - Intel Display

- 25 January: Intel hired Will.i.am to fill 'Director of Creative Innovation' position. Will.i.am is a famous music artist, producer and member of a music group: The Black Eyed Peas.

Here is the video:

Video 1 Girls' Generation - Visual Dream

Intel is the market leader in semiconductor chipset business. Intel supplies parts to IT Manufacturers, like HP and Samsung. Hence, Intel is mainly focused in B2B (business-to-business) marketing scheme. Considering those and the theme songs for its commercial in the previous years, those looks like a really awkward move.

List of known songs used in Intel commercials:
2006: Carlos Jean - Mr. Dabada
2007: New Young Pony Club - Ice Cream
2011: Girls' Generation - Visual Dream (Intel Asia)

Do Intel want to look cool?

May be. Intel is often related to Technology and for some people, technology is for Nerds. Intel may want to change that.

Intel's current mission is This decade we will create and extend computing technology to connect and enrich the lives of every person on earth.

Deborah Conrad, Intel vice president and chief marketing officer, testified "Intel is in the midst of transforming the way we communicate with people, Our partnership with will.i.am is a prime example of how we want to convey and deliver the Intel experience. It’s imperative that Intel and our innovations are kept in front of the global youth culture that embraces new devices and new forms of communication and entertainment."

Let's have a look on recent popular news about Intel:
- Intel launched 2nd Generation Intel Core processors (on 18th January, along with the first time Girls' Generation - Visual Dream was showed to public)
- Intel found design flaw in it's Sandy Bridge chipset (on 31st January)
- Intel will launched a new connectivity technology, called: Light Peak (expected on February 2011)
- Additionally, AMD as Intel's direct competitor had a competitive product lines since last year, even though AMD hasn't been able to keep up with Intel, but AMD started to give competition since more and more IT manufacturing companies started to implement AMD products in their product lines.

There are at least two considered innovative things came out from Intel, the 2nd generation processors and the Light Peak connectivity technology. Choosing popular icons to endorse Intel will be beneficial since customers is usually unwilling to change and those new campaigns may help the company to impress all the potential customers which are also expected to accelerate brand image in customers perspective.

Here is the commercial:

Video 2 Intel SNSD Commercial

Note:
Remix version of Girls' Generation - Visual Dream can be found in Aeria Remix