Palm, Sprint & The Celebrity Apprentice - What If...???

Palm, Sprint & The Celebrity Apprentice - What If...???

Tonight, while watching the ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ on NBC, I realized (yet again) that the main form of communication that the celebrities have with each other are Palm Centro’s... from Sprint. There are times that the camera almost deliberately gets shots of the phone in use, very much like how Sprint devices are highlighted in the TV show 24.

As I'm watching these celebs race around to perform their little tasks, the new Sprint 3G/4G commercial comes on (for a second time)... I LOVE that commercial... and here we go back to the celebs, using their Sprint Palm Centro's.

And then it happened - I had an epiphany!
But first I had to check something out - exactly when is the season finale of The Celebrity Apprentice. I found the date (not like it was actually hidden, but it's the only place I could find it) Sunday May 10th, 2009. You can find it here if you Google LIFELOCK CELEBRITY APPRENTICE SWEEPSTAKES RULES look under the section Prize/Odds, the 4th bullet down.


What if, on the Sunday May 10th Season Finale episode of ‘The Celebrity Apprentice’, the remaining two individuals were tasked with coming up with an ad campaign for The Palm Pre, at which point the release date would be announced… on that Friday, May 15th!?

Sure this is pure speculation but here are some facts:

FACT #1 - The Apprentice is still on top
According to mediapost.com "Although its numbers can't rival the past, NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" has seemingly put the network back on the Sunday night map. "Apprentice," now in its second edition of using celebrities to create business success, posted a sturdy Nielsen preliminary 3.8 rating/9 share for its premiere show, which will now take over a two-hour time block on Sunday night.

FACT #2 - The First Celebrity Apprentice Season Finale Was #1
The Futon Critic reported this regarding the first season of ‘The Celebrity Apprentice’, "Last night’s ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ is the top-scoring finale in the ‘Apprentice’ franchise since the final episode of the ‘Apprentice 4’ in December 2005 ‘Celebrity Apprentice’, surges 41 percent in adults 18-49 and 51 percent in total viewers versus the most recent ‘Apprentice’ finale in April 2007”

It was also the highest rated program for that evening. If that is any indication, this seasons ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ could be set to sweep Sunday night on May 10th.

FACT #3 - Donald Trump Loves an Underdog
Donald Trump has mentioned on more than one occasion how he loves to see a company (or person) come back and "WIN". He also has not used an iPhone on his show, that I can recall, not that he has a known dislike for Apple products (since he does not appear to have a problem with Apple computers on his show), but he appears to be quite comfortable with his relationship with Sprint. Trump could be FULLY behind Sprint for the win! Why?

FACT #4 - A REAL Connection Between The Don & Sprint
Press Release Central (hmm... sounds like Pre Central or Pre Release Central - interesting wordplay but no connections) is a Kansas City community news blog that posted the following article back on February 1st 2008:


'Apprentice' visits Sprint headquarters in Reston
Reston, VA – Recently, Sean Yazbeck, winner of “The Apprentice” toured the Sprint campus in Reston, VA. He was accompanied by his close friend, Earl Stevenson, and it was rumored that Mr. Trump was in the area. Sean just signed a deal with Sprint to provide global telecom and staffing and it is believed that Donald Trump has in interest in venture. There is also broad speculation in the media that both Sean and Earl are meeting privately with the Kentucky Secretary of State in late February regarding Kentucky Colonel Commissions that were recently bestowed on them by Governor Steven Beshear; the commissions are the highest honor given to private citizens by the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Now all of this is again, pure speculation (and perhaps fantasizing) but if you consider the sheer oodles of FREE ADVERTISING the Pre would/could get from such a setup it would be amazing. Maybe even water-cooler fodder that following Monday.

Plus, you would likely get to see the phone, maybe have some Palm reps explaining key features of the phone to the apprentices; there would be commercials, maybe even new(er) commercials (hopefully a lockdown on iPhone commercials – LOL), heck, they could even have the two remaining apprentices USING the phone (BUT ONLY TO MAKE AND RECEIVE PHONE CALLS) as I’d hate to see Joan Rivers attempting to use ANY form of technology.

She could make using rotary dialing look complicated.

Hmm… I know, I know, it may never happen, but if it did, wouldn’t it be just awesome and EXACTLY what we were waiting for (in terms of advertising)?!?

That is the most well thought out and documented theory I have seen around here!! :w00t:

Welcome to the Everything Pre forums... Your gonna fit right in here!! I hope your right tho.

Welcome to the forum. That is a pretty good theory, we could only hope that something like that comes true. It would be a big boost to the acceptance of the Pre.

I agree... The more I think about it... I'm down for smashing Apple into the ground... and I cant stop thinking about buying Palm Stock now

An interesting idea. But it would make me more jealous that the celebs would get to use the Pre before me. :smile:

THANKS ALL!!!

I appreciate the positive feedback; I agree with you too Vazgaurd, I don't want to see ANYONE with a Pre before me. I want to believe I was to first Pre owner - LOL

Since you made such a huge PREdiction. I was thinking I would do my own PREdicting. Why wouldn't sprint start a Pre media BLITZKRIEG (TV, print, internet ads, viral campaign, public surprise events a la Verizon Network stalking, stupid human tricks, you name it) on April 17th, exactly one month before the rumored launch date (too bad I didn't choose that date in the contest, off by 2 days DAMN DAMN DAMN)! Here's hoping we both are right!

Ditto: I said the same thing on my Tweets

I said the same thing on my tweets:

Sprint heavy ads on NBC may lead to new Palm Pre commercial made by Celebrity Apprentices http://www.nbc.com/Heroes/s... #sprint #meetpre

Lots of Sprint branded Palm phones featured on The Apprentice. Is Sprint going to launch New Pre ad this month? #meetpre #palmpre #sprint10:12 PM Apr 12th from web

Palm/Sprint using Celebrity Apprentice to launch Palm Pre ad? Sprint palm all over show! #meetpre #palmpre #sprint http://tinyurl.com/dykzuj10:04 PM Apr 12th from web

Follow me at: http://twitter.com/FoneFrenzy

Hey Tony, it'd be cool if it happens. I checked out your tweets - I just don't get this Twitter thing - seems silly to me, so I'm not going to join your page but thank you for the invite.

All I know is that I'm going to be looking forward to Trump saying "In your final task, you'll be coming up with a new ad campaign for the AMAZING new phone from Palm, Inc., that will be released next week on the Sprint next work...."

Now this is a theory I can live with. Let's hope your right. Although I'd lose the release date contest.

Soo.. How many of us are going to watch that episode?

I think you should go on The Apprentice, you are very smart. Very good research and makes perfect sense.

Donald Trump should bust out a Palm Pre during the finale and say: "This is what you get to have when you become BIG TIME, like me!" lol.

I am pretty sure I will ABSOLUTELY watch the episode BEFORE that, just to see what that final challenge will be - it could be the first official release date mentioned.

Pre FTW!!!

Why thank you "softspirits"- I've got to admit, it was pretty fun gathering the info and connecting the dots; it it all comes true I'm gonna feel pretty damn special - LOL!

If they haven't thought of it, you should email it to Sprint's PR folks, that's a damn good idea.

I can't watch it (I'll be out of town), but can someone make sure they TiVo it so if ronnybryant is right we can have a scoop on EP.

You know what... I did just that! I emailed them a letter just what you read here and (I sent it to a few different individuals in media/advertising) now I'm just waiting to see if they respond - I'll let you know if they do.

We all heard of the possible date before (May 17th) but this just makes me even more speculative...

"As Engadget explains, the memo means the phone will not be launched before May 16, but could be launched as soon as May 17, which happens to be a Sunday--and Sprint often launches new phones on Sundays.

What a coincidence - The Celebritiy Apprentice is on Sundays!

I think we are about to find out for sure. Tonight they mentioned that the finale is May 17, the estimated release date for the Palm Pre.

http://twitter.com/FoneFrenzy

Why? Let's look at a few things, also some where mentioned above:
1) Sprint is doing heavy advertising during the show, but not really running a lot of Pre ads.
2) Ads are geared for saving money on the everything plan.
3) All celebs are using Palm's phones on the show.
4) Sprint has a big relationship with the HERO's show.
5) Season Finale is May 17 and the estimated date of the release for the Palm Pre.
6) Unable to locate anything on the Season finale show's final "product".
7) Beats Apple's launch date.

I think a Three hour season finale, bringing back former contestants featuring the Palm Pre would be huge for Sprint as a way to gain a massive amount of viewers and for everyone to really get a good look at the phone.

Read my tweets above and give your thoughts on the subject.

Souljerr, we're both local in Sacramento Valley.

It really seems to me like...

...something is definitely UP.

I haven't received ONE reply from Sprint. Not even a standard "blurb", in response to my inquiry. And I sent an email to at least 5 individuals within their media/advertising group.

As the day to (whenever) the release of the Pre will be, draws closer, you have to wonder, WHY??? Why haven't we seen more ads regarding the pre? What is the hold up? Really? I mean, I've seen phone launches before, most of us have; we know how it usually goes when a company (or companies) are trying to sell us something.

For my part, I'm pretty gung-ho about this being a reality because from where I stand, it could be a form of advertising that just oozes with success.

So if I could come up with this idea, I just know Trump, Sprint and Palm had to at least consider it. As the day draws closer I just get more excited - and for the record, if this DOES in fact happen, I think that I should win a Pre just from putting it all together - LOL (I suppose we'll see how the powers that be at everythingpre feel about that

By the way, did anyone look at the Apprentice tonight? Those "Rivers" girls just put on a show at the end - unbelievable!!!