Technology Feast

Does HP need a personality?

Beginning this weekend, computer maker Hewlett-Packard will begin a $40 million advertising assault with its first such campaign in some five years.

Billed as “Let’s do amazing,” the eight-week campaign features several celebrities, including rapper Dr. Dre, “Flight of the Conchords” comedian Rhys Darby and photographer Annie Leibovitz.

Here’s the Wall Street Journal on the campaign: Glenna Patton, H-P’s vice president of brand strategy, who joined the company from Viacom’s MTV, says studies show that H-P stands for “reliability” and “quality” in the minds of customers, but that the brand lacks “a real differentiation in personality and distinction.”

The “light-hearted” campaign, which was the work of ad agency72andSunny, will include include TV, print, the Internet and radio.

Here’s one example with the IT department at The Venetian hotel and casino in Las Vegas: Interestingly, part of the campaign includes an internal video aimed at the company’s 304,000 employees, many new to the company.

Can HP give itself a face beyond that of an inexpensive printer?