Ted,

I am swayed by marketing messages, but not just the ones communicated by a brand. For me, your post's marketing messages about the Chocolate phone are far more influential than those from Verizon Wireless and LG Wireless.

Why? Because as all marketers recognize, those messages coming from 2nd and 3rd parties are more credible. The message I received from this post is that the Chocolate phone sells style over substance, and I long ago stop worrying about my personal "cool" factor. I just want a good, inexpensive phone that works.

The ads are hip and cool my teenagers really wanted to get one, and my wife because she likes chocolate. I thought the ad was well done for what it was supposed to do. Make me want one. I admit, it made me want one also.

Lewis & Keith,

While marketing is supposed to deliver branded products and services to the customer: what happens when there's more hype than reality? Products that are all about style, and a little skimpy on substance might undermine a brand given time. Especially in a category like mobile phones, where a new and better mousetrap is right around the corner. Just read in the Wall Street Journal that: "T-Mobile USA is expected to launch a host of new services, including a new generation of Internet phones, to attract customers away from both wireless and land-line phone companies"
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB115923297434173806-vrFHLxeY9Hw3bPZUL_71NLhIC8Y_20070926.html. So the blush may already be coming off the rose, er, the chocolate!

hi, ted. from my experience in the italian market, style even for the mobile device is sooo important. but, honestly, where the difference between the chocolate and the razor and other similar devices? it seems to me that it's all a matter of style and forget the features. is it right? i think no but, again, it sells.

Hi Gianandrea,

There isn't any doubt that many people are buying the Chocolate phone because of its sleekness and styling. No doubt at all. Many people here in the U.S., Europe and the Pacific Rim are very style conscious and want the latest gadgets. The question is, are they disappointed afterward? And if they are, will they buy their next mobile phone from Verizon/LG? Probably not. Then there are people like Lewis and me, who want performance. Forget the styling and the hype, just give us a phone with features we want and need.

There are already new phones on the horizon. Check out the Wall St. Journal link to see what else is coming. It all makes me wonder how long the public will continue to hanker for Chocolate!

Is the Chocolate brown? It looks black to me, but I haven't seen it in person yet.

Hi Ann,

It's black. According to LG, it looked good enough to eat (like a bar of chocolate, hence the name. Sweet!

Too bad...I'd actually buy it if it was brown (brown being the new black, you know). Before I saw the rendering, I was actually psyched about the idea of a brown phone called "Chocolate." Ah well...

I'm with Lewis...well I'm almost over being "cool." I just want a phone that works, holds its charge and takes pictures. My husband is 5 years younger and he thought the Chocolate was totally cool. Whatever.

My 5 year old daughter said the other day...
"Mom? Have you ever noticed chocolate looks like poop?"

My boyfriend has the Chocolate phone and I have used it a number of times. For over $100 it hasn't lived up to its hype. The buttons are hard to get used to and the picture-taking capabilities are terrible. I've talked to him while he was using the BlueTooth and the sound quality was also terrible. He said he could hear me fine, but I couldn't make out what he was saying.
I think Verizon and LG should have developed a better product before hyping it up like they did.

My service is with Cingular wireless and I use a motorola V551 - I primarily purchased it for the bluetooth capability and it has been functional. However I wish that, sometimes, manufacturers (in all industries) would concentrate more on function than on form. I want a cell phone that has 4-5 bars no matter where I am. Put a tower in my house if you have to.

@Ann: It is my understanding that in Europe it is brown and in the U.S. it is black. Who knows why?

Thanks, Amanda and Parley for your observations. As with every new tech product, there are bound to be pros and cons. However, you've both reaffirmed my point: that when the hype wears off and people actually use a product every day, they had better find it functional. Or else, when they go to replace the product, they will purchase another brand. That's why it's always best to ground our marketing messages to deliver on a true and realistic brand promise and not base them on pure hype!

I've been with Verizon for many many years but even with their contract renewal deal, the Chocolate costs a lot more than the just as popular razr v3m(free!). After I looked at the specs and a few reviews, because I wanted to know what all the hoopla was about over the Chocolate, the lack of speakerphone, goofy touch pad button thing, etc I stuck with another Samsung phone that is more feature packed...the Samsung a930. Weird looking phone (I named it Darth Phone) but it feels great, the sound is delightfuly loud and clear, I can blast music from my external speakers which are tiny but loud. So in the end, hype was no match for actually functionality because I don't want to be stuck with a cute but useless phone for two years.

I'm a (Sprint/)Nextel user and have a 3 to 4-yr-old phone that does what I need, but isn't really stylish in any way. However, I'm hoping to acquire a newer, sleeker phone in the near future, but will still look more for features than design, even if that means shopping around a lot.

I've never seen a Chocolate, but with what I've read and after seeing the ads, I don't think it lives up to the hype. I think Nokia always had the right idea about offering a ton of covers and ways to customize its phones so people could integrate their own sense of style. What happened to that concept (just Version 2.0)? Unless I can actually take a bite out of the phone while I'm using it, I wouldn't get the Chocolate. I'll stick to Godiva, or Hershey's on a tight budget, and my trusty Motorola I90C ;)

Ted, great point about technology and the ability for a company to come up with a new mousetrap right around the corner. There really is no competitive advantage when it comes to technology anymore, except complete understanding of the consumer. And how fickle can us consumers be, ya know?

p.s. Why can't a mobile phone company deliver a unit that's both stylish and functional? I mean, look at the iPod...a functional fashion statement.

Thanks, Sarah and Daniel for your great comments. As the president of a design firm, make no mistake: I love great design. However, style and design without being user friendly, and offering great features and real value go just so far. Technology should allow companies to simplify their products, add desirable features and help us to simplify our lives. That would be a real boon to the consumer, don't you think?

I totally agree Ted. Technology should simplify and empower, not complicate and restrain. I feel that way about my new digital camera. It's a great little camera, with a lot of neat features, but so many features that I feel like I need to read the entire manual a couple of times and take a course just to use it properly. Most people who get digital cameras aren't professional photographers and have no idea when to use certain settings and such, much less take the time to set them when taking pictures. Cameras should capture moments in time, but often those moments come and go too fast to get the settings on a camera just right. But I digress. Technology should make things easier and more efficient, not more difficult.

I think Inspector Gadget has it best - a phone integrated into his hand! No need for style, unless he sports some nice new gloves. Minus all the obvious drawbacks of embedding a cell phone into your hand, I think that would great to have, next to a helicopter that comes out of your head of course. :)

Ted,

it's called chocolate becuase the asian launch was on valentine's day... the only reason it was named was a marketing endeavor. white chocolate is already in the UK.

Is the Chocolate phone that bad? I'm not sure who to believe some people say it has a speaker phone and others say it does not. Oh and by the way how much songs can 128 Mb phone hold?

I just purchased the Strawberry Chocolate (was not pursuaded by the hype as I had rarely seen the commercials) and I must say I love it!! Actually, I love the sleek style of the phone. Its easy to carry and fits nicely everywhere!! You have to get used to the touch buttons they are very sensitive but you can change the sensitiviy level. All in all, I'm very happy with the phone and will be using it for quite some time

Do not get the chocolate phone it is absoluetly terrible and inconvinient! Me and one of my friends both have a chocolate and we both agree that the phone is horrible and a pointless electronic to have. My friend has went into Verizon to get a new phone three times in a month because hers has continuosly broken. We both agree that the camera doesn't work well, its doesnt stay charged for long, the screen gets scrached easily, and its way too sensitive. We both got it because it looked cool. However, its a waste of your well worked for money, when you see a chocolate, look the other way and go find something worth your time and money.

the chocolate is bad. if i was looking for a new phone i wouold get the razor it works better and its better looking too.

It does have a speakerphone!!!! every one is saying that it doesnt, but it does. when you call someone, while its ringing, press the picture button on the side. it should work! it works for me.

I love my chocolate phone!!!. Alot of people say that it breaks way to easy, but if you don't slide it up hard and care-less it WILL NOT BREAK!!. and I've had my phone for 6 months and not one scratch or problem. I have it in black cherry, AND I SIMPLY LOVE IT!!!!

Thanks for your comments, ladies. You've judged the Chocolate phone based on your use of it and whether you like the features it has or not. Consumers ultimately decide whether a product offers the value they're paying for, or not. Then they spread the word as you've done. Word of mouth is a powerful form of advertising. Thanks for adding to the conversation, Julie, Lis, Tonya, Paige, Haylie and Athena.