Faux-ad for Blu-ray brings grins, sighs

by Nick Doerr { Nov 17th 2007 at 9:30AM }

One of the first arguments out of everybody's Anti-Sony mouth when Blu-ray was announced was "Betamax 2" or some similar drivel about the past repeating. Since Blu-ray is still topping the charts, a trend that started with its inception, it's starting to get hard to make that claim. Enter this ad for Blu-ray, which gleefully mocks Sony's past failures while at the same time giving the nod to Blu-ray and the shaft to HD DVD. It's cute, really. Check it out.

[Thanks, Sean!]

Tags: blu-ray, hd-dvd

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

blitzcloud @ Nov 17th 2007 10:13AM

Can't wait for the first nubato saying "slow news day?"

:)

I liked it. it was well done anc cute overall :D

Tim Parsons @ Nov 17th 2007 10:43AM

Cool ,. This should run on Network TV it's awesome!!

Darkdrium777 @ Nov 17th 2007 10:53AM

Slow news day?

Just kidding :p Nice ad.

Thoas @ Nov 17th 2007 11:19AM

LMAO

Andy @ Nov 17th 2007 12:00PM

Most people don't even know what Blu-Ray is. It would be much more effective for ads to educate the public about why its better than a DVD and show them current sales trends.

The Future is Blu

linebeginstoblur @ Nov 17th 2007 12:05PM

Whether it's fake or not, I found it amusing. Like Andy said, it might be better to show why it's better, rather than make such a bold statement without explaining that statement. I still smiled at the ad though and watched it several times.

Andy @ Nov 17th 2007 12:09PM

This reminds me of politics.

Gunegune @ Nov 17th 2007 1:19PM

Laserdisc was actually a pretty good format despite it's drawbacks. The main advantage of Laserdisc was it's analog nature and thusly it was immune from compression artifacts and color banding.

Oh well, here's hoping the higher quality format wins this time. (Blu-ray has a higher data transfer rate (video/audio), and therefore, higher quality)

kornchild2002 @ Nov 17th 2007 2:36PM

I thought the add was humorous but I didn't take it very seriously as HD-DVD is will be here far up until around 2009-2010 (so their 2007 date is wrong) and I think it would have been better to put a standard DVD player in the closet. After all, both HD-DVD and Blu-ray must overcome the monster that is DVD.

Geoff Gibson @ Nov 17th 2007 3:43PM

Ummmm

I'm sorry did DVD suddenly disappear overnight?

Does nobody else find it completely sad that at 1 1/2 years since entry into the market HD DVD's and Blu-ray's top exclusive titles sell 190,000 and 140,000 (respectively) compared to the same movies' (Transformers and Spiderman 3) DVD sales of 8.3 million and 4.6 million (respectively) in its' first week.

As far as I know or care, both of these formats can put a big R.I.P. on them.

Dahk @ Nov 17th 2007 3:48PM

Lol @ Geoff Gibson.

That's why the DVD isn't part of the closet! Come on now.

And like DVD did, it's sales wasn't too hot when they started selling it. There HAS to be a ramp up. This fake ad just shows which one they think is the bomb - doesn't talk about their successes.

Frank @ Nov 17th 2007 4:07PM

Are you seriously saying DVD sales were slow when they started selling it Dahk? Look it up online, DVD is the fastest growing and biggest selling consumer product of all time.

Wayne @ Nov 17th 2007 4:57PM

Well all know DVD isn't dead, just like SD (Standard Def) isn't dead. The HD battle has only just started. I hate DVDs on my Full HD LCD TV, they just look terrible compared to Blu-ray. I have purchased my last DVD.

Iridium @ Nov 17th 2007 6:31PM

I had a shock when I went into Best Buy today. I walked over to the isle where they had the BluRay and HD-DVD discs. I only saw HD-DVD!!!!

The HD-DVD section was the same size but the Blu-Ray section was replaced by kids movies and a Spiderman special section. There was a BluRay Spiderman 3 but that was it. I thought to myself holy crap did something happen, does Best Buy know something.

Well my shock changed to glee as I walked into the next isle. There were all the BluRay movies taking up one side of an entire Best Buy isle. I'm not talking about one of the new BestBuy tiny endcaps, an old Best Buy isle. That made the BluRay section 4 times bigger than the HD-DVD section. Maybe Best Buy does know something. Maybe they aren't to happy about the WalMart HD-DVD firesale.

Right now BluRay has more shelf space in Best Buy, Circuit City, Target, and even Wal-Mart. Hopefully this is a signal about Warner and the hopefull end of this dumb format war. I want to get a few Universal movies on BluRay.

DirtnSky @ Nov 17th 2007 6:37PM

This ad (if it is real) truly is humorous in recalling the heady days of technology of past (somewhat) glory. As many have noted, HD is but a shallow pond beside the ocean of '90s tech.

I ask myself, will something change the opinion of the 420+ MILLION (just a guess on already shown statistics) citizens of America to jump one way or the other. If not, I will still have some of the best looking films put to Blue for a retro day in 2014. Like watching "Blade Runner" for comparisons in L.A. and see if Ridley got it right.. which he Won't.

Let's face it people. Going by past results (at least in regards to a format war) btw VHS and Laser Disk. Which lasted maybe 8~10 years before laser dropped dead (R.I.P.). By the mid '13~'15, BOTH formats will be filling that closet and a better compression or tech for DVDs will be filling the slot for Mr. "Joe"s amusement.

DirtnSky @ Nov 17th 2007 7:09PM

...hmmm. Technical difficulties with this site.

Anyway, Blue and HD-DVD will be dead by '14~'16 if neither can't sale better or even over the sales stats of DVD.

Like the Old format wars of 8-track..(heck, even the cassette got rolled over by CD) Beta.. and Laser Disk. Format recognition, cost and ease of use is the key to outlast competition.

BananaBoat @ Nov 17th 2007 10:35PM

DVD sales exploded because VHS to DVD was a GIGANTIC step forward in quality. DVD to HD-DVD/Blu-Ray (for most people) isn't. For people under 40 that can tell the difference between 480p and 720p, it's great. For anyone over 40 (using 40 as an example. No offense you 41 year old bastards out there) there just isn't that much of a noticeable difference. Not to mention that on non-fixed panel TV's, the difference isn't that noticeable anyway (although fixed pixel TV's are hitting *have hit?* parity with RPTV's).

In 10 years we are all going to wonder how we ever fit movies on DVD's, just like we wonder how we ever got by using floppy discs. Both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray are so similar, that calling either one crap compared to the other, proves your fanboyism, and makes you look like a gigantic tit. Claiming that DVD won't eventually die, also makes you look like a gigantic tit (not speaking to anyone in particular)

Dahk @ Nov 18th 2007 1:15AM

Whops my bad.

Either way, its not like they mentioned that DVD was gonna die out yet.

Efeez1986 @ Nov 18th 2007 2:57AM

I loved this. I hope no xbox fanboys get on here and start running their mouth.

DirtnSky @ Nov 18th 2007 7:19AM

Sorry all for that double post and bad predicition jumping around, but my first didn't seem to be placed into the forum and I didn't (I always copy before posting in case. ...usually) recall exactly what I wrote.
But I'll be posting again in '15 on this page or its successors, about the "good old days" of Blue with fondness and sadness. I know the games early, but the hints of failure are creeping in...