Transforming our world by design | HP - Ad Analysis
AI Editor notes
Straight from the gut!!
“It's a beautifully shot corporate anthem that feels... very corporate. It hits all the right notes: innovation, sustainability, community. But who is this for? Is a busy architect or print shop owner really moved by this? It feels more like an internal rally cry or a brand film for an awards show than a piece of communication designed to solve a specific business problem. It’s trying to be Apple, but for plotters.”
Quick Summary
HP positions its large-format printers not as mere hardware, but as the essential tools for turning abstract ideas into tangible, world-changing realities, wrapping a B2B product in a grand, human-centric narrative about creativity, community, and sustainability.
Executive Summary
HP's 'Transforming our world by design' is a classic brand anthem, an attempt to elevate a B2B product—large format printers—from a piece of office machinery to a noble instrument of progress. It's a well-executed film that tries to wrap the brand in the aspirational language of creativity, sustainability, and community impact. The core insight is solid: the magic of creation lies in bridging the gap between an intangible idea and a physical reality. HP positions its technology as that essential bridge.
The execution is a sweeping, thematic montage. It opens with the elemental concept of an idea (a pencil on paper) and immediately poses the tension: an idea is useless until it's made real. This perfectly frames the problem that HP printers solve. The ad then launches into a sprawling showcase of applications, moving from architectural blueprints and vibrant graphic designs to entire decorated spaces, including a heartwarming scene where a CT scanner is wrapped in friendly cartoons for children. This montage effectively demonstrates the breadth of the product's capability. The film climaxes by explicitly stating its three brand pillars—making ideas real, spaces meaningful, and sustainability a priority—before concluding with a grand, if hollow, invitation to 'transform the world.'
For the team behind this, the debrief should be a lesson in the limits of the brand anthem format. While the film successfully communicates a high-level purpose, it does so at the cost of distinction and memorability. By trying to cover every possible positive attribute, from security to eco-friendliness to emotional resonance, the message becomes generic. It feels less like a sharp piece of HP advertising and more like a category ad for 'the power of design technology.' The lack of a single, compelling narrative or a unique creative device means it’s a film you watch, nod at, and immediately forget. It’s a safe, competent play that reinforces HP’s status as a market leader but does little to build a deeper, more specific connection with the professionals it aims to serve.
Theme Keywords
Brand Position
HP Large Format Printing is the bridge between human imagination and tangible reality.
Brand Archetype
The Creator
Creative Game Plan
Demonstrate that HP's printing technology is the indispensable catalyst for turning creative vision into tangible, real-world impact.
Diagnosis: Issues & Solutions
Primary Issue: Emotional Connection
The Problem:
The ad tries to evoke a grand sense of inspiration but relies on a montage of generic, stock-like scenes of diverse, smiling professionals. The emotion is spread too thinly across too many vignettes, resulting in a shallow, manufactured feeling that fails to create a specific, memorable bond with the brand.
The Solution:
Instead of a 90-second overview of 20 different stories, focus on one compelling human story. Follow a single architect or designer from a napkin sketch to the emotional reveal of their finished project—a community center, a small business storefront, or a life-changing product. Make the audience connect with one person's journey to make their idea real, with HP as the indispensable character in that story.
Secondary Issue: Strategic Sense
The Problem:
The message is too broad for a B2B audience. By trying to appeal to architects, graphic designers, and print-for-pay shops all at once with the same high-level 'purpose' message, it speaks to no one in particular and feels disconnected from the daily commercial realities of those professions.
The Solution:
Develop targeted cuts of the ad for specific professional segments. Create a 30-second version for architects that focuses on precision, speed, and integration with CAD software. A cut for print businesses should highlight new revenue streams (like interior decor), reliability, and material versatility. Speak the specific language of each audience to prove value, don't just declare purpose.