There's nothing sadder than a buttoned-down corporate type trying to look hip by name dropping and co-branding. So, if you had any lingering doubt as to why Carly Fiorina had to go, a quick look at Hewlett-Packard's
It looks more like it was designed by a few bored schoolgirls in an afternoon of brainstorming. Under the HP badge is a mix of Japanese and English characters saying "Harajuku Lovers," the name of Stefani's design line. There's yet more Engrish around the lens, where the camera runs a promo for Gwen's latest album, "Love, Angel, Music, Baby."
I have no doubt that this limited edition will sell out: Cheesy stuff has an audience of its own. When we're all just a set of wired-up heads in jars watching "Antiques Road Show 2070" on the Holo-vision, I'm sure these will fetch a pretty sum. But whether they make any sense for HP is another question entirely.
Teaming up with Apple
The leaders in that space are venerable photo names like Canon
The sad thing is that HP has proven it can do the hip thing with those cool, Kinks-tuned printer commercials with the photos morphing into reality and back. Sure, with Lexmark
Forget about Gwen, HP. Dance with the girl you brought. That's the one who makes the picture, not the one who takes it.
For related Foolishness:
- See why HP was wise to snap up Snapfish.
- A rumored World Bank nomination may have put Carly Fiorina beyond the edge of reason.
- Relive the day that HP said, "Sorry, Carly."
Seth Jayson looks forward to HP's new Ashlee Simpson line of enterprise servers. At the time of publication, he had positions in no firm mentioned. View his stock holdings and Fool profile here. Fool rules are here.