BlackBerry 'Not A Toy' Ads May Save The Company

In an earnings call detailing an abysmal quarter for BlackBerry, Research in Motion (aka RIM) this week made a perfect case for the necessity of their "toy" ads out on the airwaves now. These advertisements are representing the BlackBerry Bold line of devices and have celebrities as well as unnamed users stating "We need tools, not toys." As RIM stated this week, it's time for a shakeup, and the ad campaign we're seeing right here may well be it.

Each of these commercials is indeed as Bold as the BlackBerry line's name suggests, showing a bit of music or a bit of everyday use of a device with the software at hand, the user letting the audience know that it's the real deal. The real deal in that they trust the software, they trust the hardware, and they've got no problem using the combination in their hardcore day. Watch everyone's favorite DJ duo, the Martinez Brothers:

Then have a peek at an advertisement made by an independent group – one made by a 3rd party not actually payed by RIM. This group by the name Hand Hammered Films takes the "toys" concept and runs with it with "It's Not a Toy."

This group also has a bit to say about why BlackBerry is failing to keep up with the rest of the industry right this minute:

"We made "It's Not a Toy" in response to what we see as a major miscalculation on the part of RIM: They went after iPhone and Droid users, and lost badly. They not only didn't succeed in expanding, they actually started losing what had been a loyal base of business users (as you've documented so well on your site). Under market pressure, RIM got sucked into positioning BlackBerry as something it's not—another phone toy.

" — HHFilms

What do you think, folks? Should RIM focus their efforts on making sure people know that BlackBerry phones are not to be compared with Android and iPhone? Or will they only stand a chance if they continue to try to overtake the companies they once dominated?