The DAS: What does he look like?
I’ve updated the posting below to hopefully clear up some misunderstandings about our reasoning behind the creation of the DAS.
If you haven’t already learned about the DAS’s personality, please read that post first.
Once you’ve had a chance to speak up on the DAS’s personality, here’s your chance to influence his looks! (the stuff on the ‘inside’ counts more, but the outside still counts!)
It’s important to note that while the name of the company is “Das Keyboard” and currently the only available product is also “Das Keyboard,” that doesn’t mean that we won’t expand to other products as the company grows that meet the same level of quality, style, and expectations of the current Das Keyboard. The DAS is an avatar that represents the overall quality, style, and promise behind all products that are or will be offered by Das Keyboard the company. The DAS loves high quality, ergonomic, sleek looking technology, so when he needs a keyboard, his top choice is Das Keyboard.
Here’s the current concept drawing of the DAS. (Many kudos to Mike at Emotions by Mike for his crazy mad skills!) Keep in mind that this is a concept drawing; the finished product will be rendered in awesome 3D. Remember, the DAS is NOT a cartoon, the drawing you see here is a simple 2D concept drawing; the final will be rendered as a high quality 3D avatar.
The DAS is a super-sophisticated, way awesome robot (some would say android) who has the full spectrum of human emotions. (He’s not a Saturday morning cartoon or a guy in a robot suit!)
So what do you think? Does his look match his personality? Remember, he’s a work in progress, so look at him in different parts. (Like try covering up his head and see what you think of the rest; maybe he just needs a different head.) What would you change or what’s your feedback on a high quality avatar to represent the overall brand of Das Keyboard quality, high technology, and sleekness? (The whole company, not just the keyboard.)
If you don’t think having the DAS to represent the whole (future) line of Das Keyboard products is the way to go, what would you suggest? We’re looking for something that will come to mean “Das Keyboard the brand, look, quality, and idea,” not just Das Keyboard the keyboard.
Design by committee can be difficult, so please try to share your thoughts in a constructive and useful way. (comments like “he looks stupid” or “add a secondary sub-dermal power transfer port 3 centimeters below the right elbow” don’t help much.) Instead, we’re looking for things like “his forearms look a bit too bulky, perhaps they should be slimmed down,” or how you, as a customer, can or can’t feel a connection with the DAS, and why.
Of course, you’re welcome to say whatever you want! I’m working to get the “share me” and “retweet this” buttons up and running; until then, please share this however you’d like with anyone you think may be interested. I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
optimarcusprime on July 24th, 2009
I like it, although I wonder why Das Keyboard needs a mascot. Don’t your keyboards speak for themselves?
László Monda on July 26th, 2009
Your marketing division must be bored as hell to come up with this thing
I also think that a mascot is totally unnecessary for a keyboard like Das.
fredb on July 27th, 2009
Stupid. I don’t want my professional keyboard to be associated with a cartoon character.
Andy on July 28th, 2009
Ok, I’m hearing what you’re saying so far. I’ve gone back and edited to post to make the point of the DAS more clear. Hopefully that will clear up any misunderstanding about why we’re creating the DAS.
László Monda on July 28th, 2009
Hey Andy,
Thanks for the private email and for listening community feedback. By the way it’s great to see someone coming from Hungary
I see the concept about the company wanting to manufacture more products and needing a visual representation for branding.
First of all, I don’t think that this visual representation should be a mascot because it cannot be taken seriously in my opinion. Since Das Keyboard is a professional product with a professional audience such a mascot would lessen my desire toward your products when seeing your mascot.
If you insist to have a mascot then you may want to have a look at http://www.atmel.com/products/AVR/ because the Atmel guys got this mascot quite right. This robot mascot is very powerful, unique and has personality.
However I think that a professional logo is better suited for such products, like we have at http://ultimatehackingkeyboard.com/
I hope I could help.
Josh on July 30th, 2009
Couple of comments here
1) I agree with those above. I vote for a simple, clean, structured logo over a mascot any day. You could even call the logo “The DAS” and it could have opinions, but without the cartoony form of an avatar. I think the simple lines and cleanliness of the keyboard will clash horribly with this idea.
2) If you are going to go with this idea of an avatar, I’m not feeling this design. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great sketch, and I couldn’t do it…but it doesn’t feel right. It took me an hour to put my finger on it, but I finally got it. It reminds me of Mega Man. I would vote against almost any avatar for your product, but especially this one.
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee169/jbrookinz/300px-MegamanMMB.jpg
smartmouthpro on July 30th, 2009
I agree with everyone else. This seems to come out of left field. The Das Keyboard brand seems to me to be about ultimate performance without unnecessary frills. This character seems completely frivolous. Are you under the sway of marketing consultants of some kind?
Adam on August 1st, 2009
Couldn’t agree more than I do with everybody else here… Das is all about highest quality without the extra crap. I can see that type of mascot being acceptable for a mainstream keyboard intended for a gaming audience, but I would think that the majority of the customerbase who are gonna spend $100 on a wired keyboard with no media controls that clicks like crazy is not gonna be the type who are attracted to a “Cool” mascot
Rogol on August 3rd, 2009
A simple logo that is highly recognizable. A lot of companies that have made the largest impacts used the simplest of logos. Atari with the Fuji “A”. IBM (nuf’ said). Apple. Ford blue oval. Chevrolet bow-tie. It doesn’t matter the product, the more easily recognized wins the game. Heck, Coke, Pepsi, McDonalds, and Disney spend insane amounts of money to get a simple symbol inbedded in our consciousness.
Sorry for rambling on, but it comes down to keep it simple.