While most punters would not give a monkey’s what chip is in their smartphone, Qualcomm thinks the advertising will build customer loyalty in an increasingly competitive smartphone industry. So far the only chipmaker to get away with an advertising campaign that captured real users was Intel's "Intel Inside" ad campaign.
Chief Marketing Officer Anand Chandrasekher showed analysts a commercial playing in US theaters and said it would also be rolled out in other countries, including China. He said he wanted to build an emotional bond with Qualcomm customers. It is not clear if anyone is up for an emotional bond with tech outfits after being so cruelly betrayed by Apple, but it seems that Qualcomm is hoping for being a rebound.
It is a moot point if Qualcomm needs to do much advertising anyway. Its Snapdragon processors are widely used as the brain in tablets and smartphones. But last week Qualcomm forecast earnings below expectations as competition in smartphones intensifies and shifts toward Asia. It seems that it is trying to make sure.