China does fakes like no one else.
And this one proves it. The new Blockberry Storm 9500, yes you heard me right – flip a letter from Blackberry and you have its evil twin. The Blockberry is supposedly from a manufacturer called HAFF-COM (哈佛通信，“哈佛”) which rather comically is also the Mandarin translation of Harvard – as in yes, the ivy league college. And none other than President Barack Obama, endorses it.
At least that’s what the ad says (translated from Mandarin) - Obama’s Blackberry, my Blockberry Storm 9500.
Further searches prove that HAFF-COM in Shenzhen doesn’t actually exist and definitely has no connection to Harvard (I know right, who would’ve thunk it.) Which suggests it is actually just a made up brand by the Shenzhen factory that made it – probably for pure retail ad purposes.
This follows on from the African released fake Nokia 5300 Xpress Music, with the president’s campaign slogan “Yes we can” emblazoned on the back of it, also believed to be from a China copycat manufacturer.
Although copycats aren’t deemed to be terribly creative and complete traitors; I have to say it takes a certain amount of creativity to think of a Blockberry with an Obama.
And a kitsch sense of humour.
America had Pop Art. Maybe China deserves to be the artistic home of the Mashup.
Obama and his new Blockberry Storm
The real Blackberry Storm
The Blockberry Storm: its evil twin
The African release of fake Nokia 5300 "Yes We Can"
Credits/ info gleaned from: