TAKING HP FROM BEIGE TO BLACK
NEMO FLIPS THE BLACKBIRD
(518 TIMES)
Picture that inkjet printer that comes free with any $150 purchase. Hard to believe that doorbuster is a distant (okay, real distant) cousin to the HP/Blackbird: Five thousand clams worth of badass Intel Core 2 Extreme processing power and liquid cooled CPU/GPU tucked inside a premium vented aluminum case. Designed for die-hard gamers, creatives, and all lovers of overclocked gigahertz. Working with HP on the launch of said Bird, we knew the core gaming community would be skeptical of the straight-laced consumer electronics giant. The 518 Dedication Edition was a way to make an exceptional product even more L33T: A run of 518 limited and loaded machines available for pre-order. These maxed out, well bundled units were emblazoned with a sharp grid of signature graphics created by Nemo’s Christopher Douglas. The flowing design lines reflect the Blackbird’s superior speed and artful engineering. In addition to skinning the 518, Nemo also designed the entire purchasing experience, from interactive site to packing box and user’s manual. Pre-release street cred came quickly, generating PR for the official release as well. HP even bestowed us a Circle award for our 360 approach to creating a unique consumer experience. The real satisfaction, though, came when the whole run of 518 Blackbirds sold completely.
