Stonex One has been for a few months at the center of media attention in the tech scene, and not only that everybody talks about it, everyone associates face Francesco Facchinetti to the project in the same way that a person taken at random from the crowd to see Bill Gates, Microsoft thinking about the brand. In short, we are faced with a project carried out with cunning and ability to communicate, to arouse curiosity in the general public, and decided not to stop only the narrow niche of “technology enthusiasts”, but extending the radius to involve almost all young Italians (and not only those).
For those who still do not know him answer the question “ What Stonex One ? With Stonex One we refer to the project carried out by the homonymous Italian company based in Lissone, already produces smartphones, which a couple of years now – this, according to Facchinetti – finds herself working on a device that know offer, directly into the hands of the consumer, a smartphone worthy of the name, with technical features worthy of a top of the range but with limited production costs, thanks to some spending cuts made here and there, that would allow to sell the device at a price small thus offering a real opportunity for users in search of his ideal smartphone.
The strategy to be adopted? To create a product of elite and unattainable, to crave
The sales strategy that the company has decided to adopt is certainly not the most original, but actually turns out to be “borrowed” from another company of the same methods that made his fortune, although starting from a position of technically start-up (only to discover that it was a well sottobrand the biggest Oppo): we are of course talking about OnePlus and smartphone OnePlus One. What it was in the marketing strategy of OnePlus, for the promotion of One? For what must seem like a start-up, with the means of production and distribution apparently limited, everything had to turn inexorably around the product, which was to be raised from a position of mere “competitor of the other brands” to that of “divinity phones “ elite product . How to get to this? The simplest method is to limit the ability of purchase, or even better than booking the same product, slowly revealing the characteristics of the time, letting the wait, meanwhile, literally worn potential buyers.
Francesco Facchinetti, in one of his many promotional videos
Stonex decides to “translate” the work of OnePlus trying to propose their own “One” Italian , and so, actually was: the brainchild of David Grass and Francesco Facchinetti was born therefore the project Stonex One, Italian edition of something already seen, but in our country does not enjoy such great popularity by letting cry plagiarism. Stonex then choose Francesco Facchinetti , young face and ubiquitous on the web, personality now joined the world of web-stars who certainly knows how to do its job: the promotion . Stonex does successfully pass as “ the new technology gurus in Italy “, there are those who compared him to Steve Jobs, and even though he represents the only “channel” promotional project, it succeeds himself to spread the word in a way that is unbelievable, using only a few sponsored post on Facebook, nothing more. The cuts in promotional expenses, moreover, always according to Facchinetti, is one of the reasons why the price of Stonex One turns out to be so accessible to the general public.
Facchinetti, during the first video dedicated to project shows and speaks very little , philosophizes, resurrects and leverages that pride of purely patriotic mold to produce a device of this caliber in Italy, while gaining the necessary components from Chinese dealers. Sales strategy, as already mentioned, refers to that implemented by OnePlus: towards the end of last April Stonex One is stripped and are gradually revealed the Specifications of the device while only in May started presales real that are labeled as “free” (which never hurts in the promotion of a product) because the money would be deducted from the card only with the “way” of shipments. Stonex has a small stock of 10,000 pieces and announces the price of the device, we speak of € 299 .
During the start of the reservation, however, begin to be first hitch : the company It is forced to close the virtual server of the shop because of too much influx of people to the site, about 100,000, eager to get their hands on Stonex One, and then reopen them below. Growing expectations of the public, the strategy works: Stonex One appears to be an almost unattainable (still the company is arranging for the shipment), the elite, all of whom want to know more.
The term “ethical market” refers to the transparent approach adopted by Stonex, who has decided to reveal the costs of production of the device
Soon, according to the principle coined by Facchinetti as “ ethical market “, are put to light the production costs of the device: according to David Grass, these amount to € 275 , VAT included. Stonex knows perfectly the principles of marketing and knows that the key to success is all in inserting the customer at the center of its attention: the transparency , from this point of view, can only be a great business card for the company. Stonex, the eyes of consumers, it therefore raises a defender of those values now lost such as honesty, intellectual and commercial, and at war with the famous “ridge”, the brand far more noble would collect on the sale of its flagship .
It is as if we were in the middle of a media revolution across Italian, where the people shout loudly “Justice!” and Stonex follows orders. In a promotional message and the other then we come to the “present day”: July 22 , re-opened orders for StonexDay, while other windows are opened to purchase the following 29 July and the past 5:06 August. Announced the availability of only 300 pieces per day results in an overall disappointment from consumers willing to get their hands on the product, disappointment also boosted by the announcement that the distribution will start only from next August 20 and will see how those players who first booked the highly anticipated smartphone.
Among the proposed actions include also StonexOneMeeting, meetings which have participated in both newspapers in the technology sector, that of their readers
Meanwhile, the company holds sparked the interest of the public and media invited to both events dedicated, named StonexOneMeeting Eight meetings divided in three days at the headquarters of Stonex, who participated in several publications in the technology sector, with the unprecedented ability to bring well 20 of its readers to create an experience totally out of line, but always guided by the customer. From here, and from other initiatives in collaboration with bloggers and tested in the field, came the first video “hands-on”, and Stonex One begins to become familiar with the general public as never before. Meanwhile, begin to appear the first disagreement or early attempts to “sabotage”, as they were labeled by Facchinetti same.
Some posts fake began to circulate on the net about a supposed judgment issued by AgCom against Stonex, which would be “frozen” bank accounts, forcing the company, accused of making a “ rebrand ” of its products from third parties and models of import directly from China, adding customs costs to those costs, to reimburse the costs for pre-orders (not yet deducted, by the way, note). Doubt on “rebrand” seems to have arisen from a sample sent to an Italian blogger for a test video – then removed – that just under the body of the device would submit a written statement setting out the name “AMOI”, name of a manufacturer of Chinese origin which Stonex admitted to work, as one of its many partners component suppliers.
Picture released by the official Facebook page of Stonex Italy to refute screenshots” fake ”
The prosecution, therefore, is to buy in batch devices AMOI , then “rebrandizzarli” the most well-known brand Stonex. Facchinetti, quick response, has denied all the voices, arguing: “Do one million euro in cash to whoever comes to me and shows me the phone we rebrandizzato. We published the first hands-on of a channel Facebook, but then we removed it kept coming insults, saying that we had paid “, maintaining that his company has never hidden to work closely with the China, and that AMOI is only one of its business partners . In short, according to his explanation everything would be reduced to the usual “ weeds ” that the Italian people love stir in the near: reliable version? We can not know exactly, but given the transparency that the group likes to put in their activities, we want to take good this release.
Today, however, we are in a stalemate , where yes, Stonex One was shown by video and so on, but this is still not physically in the hands of buyers. Many times, here on Ridble, receive criticism on a ‘ apparent antipathy against the aforementioned company and our silence about it. We exclude from the beginning issues of antipathy or anything else: in a professional context like ours it is not remotely tolerated. My answer, rather, is a invite you to open your eyes and observe the facts as they are, objectively: what was, until now, Stonex One ? If you try to go on social channels dedicated to this product, you can see for yourself that the irons in the fire is so great, but this, so far, has not consumed anything that is not smoke, smoke that has been able to blind the eyes of potential buyers interested in the product, conquering mostly with phrases and promises of promises.
Of course, the face of Facchinetti was a wild in everything: one of his most great qualities as outstanding personalities from the entertainment world, and ultimately the web, has been to be able to draw attention to himself and what he wants to present to the general public; and so indeed it was. In a philosophical discourse and the other, breathtaking location and historical references, Facchinetti managed to pack the perfect product to sell to those who in the project – from all over, there is no doubt about this – sweet even before you see or experience first hand the product.
So much smoke and no fire? For now, yes, however, to judge, we will wait that the product ends up in our hands
Facchinetti, thanks to this renewed connotation of “ technology guru ” managed to convince, to create a surreal atmosphere around Stonex One that drop at your feet a long line of users tired of the current situation of the mobile phone – especially that Android – made up of many, too many names, of which few can stand out over others, offering extortionate prices products apparently similar , in terms of characteristics, the closer Stonex One. Here on Ridble, as you well know, everything is treated before it is checked and then taken with the tongs: in short, we cling to the facts, not the words . And in fact, when we were, we talked, even as regards Stonex One.
Personally in Stonex One I’ve seen a project so ambitious, proud of their origins and willing to bring something (not really) new in a landscape so saturated as that of the mobile phone. But what makes me turn up their noses at a project of this type is the authenticity of that : what more I would criticize this project, which still can not do compliments have against the entire Italian media landscape, it is the aura created around it . An aura that a trained eye even slightly can only know falsehood , of smoke and mirrors, of promises, promises and more promises. In short, the promises everyone likes, but leave them in the air for so is certainly not the best move. If Stonex One sin somewhere, that is the phase of product distribution , lasted too long, for my very personal taste.
The end, in this case, justify the means? With a user-base so blinded by the impending news, why not?
I follow Stonex One with a critical eye to the matter and I can only imagine what the thing I would have gone down if only I had been among those who at the time decided to fund the project, then following it assiduously, seeing postpone answers from week to week. The trick, therefore, is just that: inflate the bubble more than ever , relying on the discontent, the dreams and hopes of the people, offering an approach not “politically correct” and continuing to go forward in this regard, of the strong ‘”hype” gradually generated in the audience. The end, at this point justifies the means? With a user-base so consenting and willing to be told nursery rhymes, why not? Besides, the first order was just that: a stir in the Italian reaction more emotional than rational, who could engage them from head to toe in a project focused entirely in this respect.
In the same spirit with which we usually proceed, therefore, we look forward to try hand One Stonex and let you know our views about it, when it will be finally be accessible to ordinary mortals. Before that, as mentioned earlier, we will keep on our editorial policy, telling and commenting on facts , and leaving the words to others.
Andrea Pettinari
No comments:
Post a Comment