

The real Ajay Bhatt, co-inventor of the USB port - siculars
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/10/conan-obrien-talks-to-the-co-creator-of-usb-on-the-tonight-show/

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brandnewlow
My take: They didn't use the real guy because this let them create a little
buzz and hold him back to give their ad campaign a second wind.

<http://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html>

Interesting that a Tonight Show advertiser initiated this interview, the show
said yes, and even admits this interview was prompted by a sponsor. (Also
interesting that the ad-block HN crowd isn't complaining about watching
sponsored content)

Intel's PR and marketing people played this one really well.

~~~
mustpax
Almost all interview spots on late-night talk shows are pure marketing.
Without fail, the interviewee always has a book or a movie coming out. Or, at
most, is a former or current politician, seeking publicity for their latest
cause (a foundation they set up or the upcoming election, respectively).

I think it’s quite respectable for Tonight Show to both acknowledge that this
is a sponsored interview and to make light of the fact.

~~~
raheemm
_This monkey will dance for anyone_

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ShabbyDoo
That Conan (a) felt like Ajay would be relevant for a general audience, and
(b) didn't bring him on for the sole purpose of humiliating him speaks well
for the acceptance of engineering in US society. A decade ago, he would have
been reduced to caricature -- "nerd" glasses and the like.

~~~
whye
What I don't understand is why Intel didn't use the real Ajay in their ads.
Here's someone who they are supposedly honoring as a rock star, and yet when
it comes to the ads, instead of using him, they hire an actor. How big of an
Intel star can you be, if you aren't good enough to appear on TV?

~~~
lunchbox
From a NYT article on Intel:

 _The real inventors are not in the ads; they are played by actors. Mr. Bell
said he wanted to ensure the commercials were humorous, and avoid arguments
with Intel employees over which should be featured._

 _"When you are required politically to cast certain people and get everyone
involved, you tend to get this watered-down, feel-good campaign that works
really well internally and makes the company itself feel good," but does not
appeal to consumers, he said._

<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/business/media/06adco.html>

~~~
chaosprophet
That argument does not really hold much water. The fact remains that you are
portraying the same person, so these arguments which Intel wanted to avoid
would still come up. Considering that, they should just have gone with the
real guy.

~~~
Andys
Its an advertisement, a lower grade of information than even a puff piece or
glossy brochure.

For TV advertisements, you need people who can act. Engineers aren't actors.
Save the real engineers for informational pieces like this interview.

~~~
pbhjpbhj
Most people are able to act _as themselves_ quite competently! For a TV ad
featuring a person as themself the requirements are that you are that person
...

~~~
Legion
Unless you're under the impression that Ajay really does strut around Intel to
the sound of screaming girls, "acting as themselves" wouldn't really be what
they'd need to do in the commercial.

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zhyder
I found it odd that he didn't share the credit with more people at Intel and
its partners, and spoke negatively about Firewire[1].

[1]- Firewire lost mainly because the cheaper+slower USB1.1 became ubiquitous
first, and then came the backward-compatible (in connectors/cables) and
comparably-fast USB2.0.

~~~
codexon
I'm surprised someone voted you down and that you are still at 1 point.

USB 1.0 seems like one of the many interfaces that will eventually end up
obsolete just like ISA PCI AGP PCMIA etc...

I really don't see anything technically superior about USB (feel free to
correct me). The main reason it won out over Firewire was of course Intel and
Microsoft backing, and that it was in the sweet spot for the price/feature
trade off.

~~~
wooby
Won't every interface end up obsolete? Seems like the only interfaces with
real staying power are serial and mini phonoplug.

~~~
Retric
If you want an _old_ interface think power supply > wall sockets.

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bh23ha
I have not idea why they embedded the commercial, but did not even link to
hulu: [http://www.hulu.com/watch/101471/the-tonight-show-with-
conan...](http://www.hulu.com/watch/101471/the-tonight-show-with-conan-obrien-
intel-rockstar)

~~~
chime
Thanks for the hulu link. The embedded control did not work for me despite
repeated refreshes. The hulu link did.

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mooted
Does this really matter? IMHO, this is more of an ego issue to 'nerds' than
selling the product in itself. The latter being the purpose of ads.

------
mooted
Dont give a fuck. Just sell things.

