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0 pointsJonnieCache15y ago0 comments

>Blackberry is insanely cool amoung the teen crowd in the UK

It's definitely a London thing. They became hugely popular in the summer of 2009, rapidly making their way into the constantly shifting memepool that is the grime scene.

Witness "Maxwell D - Blackberry Hype": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qtShEs5LQs

Believe it or not this isn't paid product placement. Hence he lists RIM's competitors in the intro. They probably still sent maxwell some units though.

EDIT: BBM was also heavily used as a way of sending shouts to pirate radio stations. You couldn't really ask for better marketing. It's very much waned now though.

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6 comments · 3 top-level

dotBen15y ago· 2 in thread

Those of us outside the UK can't see the video above, so here is another version of it on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8OhnyziTPE

If you've not seen it, it really is an example of how deep the Blackberry runs in street culture - both back home in the UK and even here in the US (take a trip through Daly City or East Bay and check out the BB's).

msh15y ago

That one doesnt work either (at least in denmark)

JonnieCacheOP15y ago

Here's a link to just the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFIgs8WkTSY

There was another tune called "Blackberry Swipe" about mugging people for their mobile phones. Can't remember who did it though. The grime scene really is like a musical version of 4chan when it comes to memetics.

They take it seriously too, people have been hospitalised over meme ownership: http://njaithewriter.wordpress.com/2009/04/15/itsalot-gate-g...

pedalpete15y ago· 1 in thread

It is definitely not just a London thing. I was on a flight from Seattle to Los Angeles and the guy next (mid-20s) to me was using an old iPhone to play games. His phone was a blackberry. I found it really strange, but he told me that all of his friends were using BBM and he felt like he was left out, so he went back to BlackBerry.

In Canada the Blackberry outsells Android in the teen crowd according to a report in the Globe and Mail a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, I can't find the article now.

elvirs15y ago

I can say the same is in Istanbul and Baku, iPhones are used for games only, its nice to have an iPhone but its percieved as really cool to use Blackberry as a phone for daily use.

andyking15y ago

Kiss 100's breakfast show in London is sponsored by RIM - and they give out their BBM PIN as a way of contacting the studio.

Other stations I've heard, outside London, also give out BBM PINs - Radio City 96.7's dance music programming in Liverpool is one I've noticed.

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