AOL Looking To Captuire Elusive Luddite Demographic May 31, 2007
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , trackbackAOL Unveils Switched, for the Non-Techie
Mike Shields
MAY 30, 2007 -
AOL has launched a new stand-alone consumer electronics Web site geared for less-than-tech-savvy consumers.
The newly launched Switched.com mixes user-friendly service information on products like digital cameras and MP3 players with celebrity and entertainment news (Switched’s tagline is “Digital Stuff for the Rest of Us”). In fact, the site is being run by AOL’s news division, rather that AOL Shopping.
“We realized there were plenty of sites targeting hardcore technology users, but none existed that cut through industry jargon to serve the average consumer,” said Lewis D’Vorkin, senior vp, AOL News & Sports. “Switched.com provides users with basic gadget news they need to navigate the wired and unwired world and delivers compelling content to mainstream consumers.”
Besides offering buying advice through sections such as “Just Tell Me What to Get” or “Hype Check,” Switched also borrows from the successful AOL formula of using news and celebrities to attract traffic. The site features technology themed celebrity interviews along with photos of various stars using tech gadgets (for example, currently Switched has a photo of Andre 3000 holding a BlackBerry).
Current Switched advertisers include the Microsoft Zune and OnStar.
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