HP AI PC: Streamline Tasks & Focus on What Matters | Clapboard

The Wrong Kind of Busy

Description

In October 2024, HP launched a compelling film campaign in the United States titled The Wrong Kind of Busy, aimed at reshaping how professionals perceive productivity in the modern workspace. Centered around the innovative HP AI PC, this campaign addresses a common frustration: when did work start getting in the way of work itself? By highlighting how the HP AI PC is designed to streamline everyday tasks through advanced AI capabilities, the brand positions its product as the essential tool for reclaiming focus and efficiency. The narrative underscores that with the right technology, work can become less of a burden and more of a passion, enabling users to concentrate on the work they truly love. By weaving emotional resonance with clear technological benefits, the campaign effectively communicates HP's commitment to enhancing user experience and productivity in the electronic devices industry. It leverages a long-form film medium to engage viewers deeply, encouraging them to envision a seamless, more enjoyable workday powered by HP’s smart solutions. The campaign also integrates calls to action, inviting audiences to subscribe for updates and explore HP’s offerings online, further driving brand interaction and sales potential. With its clean, user-centric messaging and a focus on addressing modern workplace challenges, this campaign reinforces HP's position as a forward-thinking technology leader dedicated to empowering creativity and efficiency through thoughtful innovation. The included hashtag #HPAIPC strengthens social media engagement, amplifying reach across digital platforms while connecting with a tech-savvy audience eager to embrace AI-powered enhancements in their daily professional lives. Overall, The Wrong Kind of Busy articulates a clear, relatable insight with a strategic blend of emotional appeal and product functionality, elevating HP’s brand narrative in the competitive electronic devices landscape.

Credits

Client

HP

More like this

Circling Around - Google Pixel | Clapboard Ad Archive

Google Pixel’s 2024 Circling Around campaign, crafted by EssenceMediacom for the highly competitive United States electronics market, stakes a confident claim in smartphone innovation by spotlighting its gesture-based search functionality that enables users to perform searches through natural motions such as circling, highlighting, scribbling, or tapping directly on the screen without interrupting their app experience. This campaign leverages a bold FORMAT#4—Contrast with the Competition approach from Clapboard’s taxonomy, explicitly positioning Pixel’s Circle to Search feature as superior to Apple’s iPhone, which is portrayed as playing catch-up with its own version of gesture search. The narrative framing is direct and strategic, with the campaign’s YouTube meta title #BestPhonesForever: Circling Around and descriptive copy underscoring a rivalry that elevates Pixel’s intuitive, multi-gesture interface as a decisive advantage for tech-savvy consumers who prioritize seamless multitasking and enhanced usability. The campaign’s digital film medium is supported by a robust social media strategy across Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Made by Google channels, amplifying reach and engagement to a significant audience and driving awareness of Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, and compatible devices, while also signaling forthcoming feature updates for Pixel 7 models. This reinforces Google Pixel’s positioning as a progressive, user-centric brand focused on delivering cutting-edge search capabilities that reduce friction in everyday mobile interactions. The campaign’s inclusive elements, such as providing audio-described video content, further strengthen its appeal by addressing accessibility. With over 2.3 million views and active audience interaction, the campaign demonstrates strong resonance with consumers seeking innovation beyond traditional touchscreen gestures. Clapboard rates this campaign 72/100. Circling Around matters to the industry because it exemplifies how competitive differentiation through explicit feature comparison drives category innovation while compelling brands to foreground user experience as the battleground for smartphone supremacy.

Campaign Proposition

HP’s campaign "The Wrong Kind of Busy" centers on repositioning the work experience by introducing the HP AI PC as a tool designed to alleviate the inefficiencies and distractions that detract from meaningful productivity. The brand proposition emphasizes that technology should simplify routine tasks to free users’ mental bandwidth, enabling them to focus on the core aspects of their work they are passionate about. This shifts the narrative from work feeling burdensome to work becoming an engaging and streamlined activity, reinforcing HP’s role as a facilitator of thoughtful innovation that enhances everyday professional life. Strategically, the campaign leverages a prevalent professional pain point—how administrative and monotonous tasks increasingly interfere with the actual work that matters. By introducing AI-powered solutions embedded in their PC, HP taps into the growing demand for smarter, more intuitive technology that integrates seamlessly into users’ workflows. The targeting is broad yet nuanced, focusing on professionals and creators in the United States who seek efficiency and effectiveness without sacrificing quality or engagement in their work. Creatively, positioning the AI PC as an enabler of “work that doesn’t feel like work” links emotional resonance with functional benefits, making the technology personally relevant. The campaign’s long-form film format allows for a deeper storytelling approach, illustrating everyday scenarios that resonate with a workforce increasingly balancing multiple demands. Overall, the market strategy aligns HP’s technological innovation with a fundamental emotional insight about the contemporary work experience, addressing both practical needs and aspirational desires within the electronics market.

Creative Device

FORMAT#2 SHOW THE PROBLEM — Highlights a relatable problem, then shows the product as the solution. This campaign, "The Wrong Kind of Busy," centers on the relatable issue of work becoming overwhelming due to inefficient or excessive tasks, directly asking, "When did work start getting in the way of work?" The messaging is crafted to focus attention on a problem many office workers face: daily tasks impeding meaningful productivity. HP then introduces the HP AI PC as the streamlined, problem-solving solution, positioning the product as an answer to this frustration. The structure—problem first, solution second—is classic “Show the Problem,” with narrative cues (work struggles) followed by the promise of a better way, using the AI PC to return to enjoyable work. No intricate storytelling arc, symbolism, or celebrity device is indicated; the creative’s focus is on problem identification and resolution, aligning clearly with this format. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

Ya Hear Us Now - Verizon | Clapboard Ad Archive

Verizon’s Ya Hear Us Now campaign, launched in the United States in 2025, delivers an unambiguous assertion of the brand’s dominance in the electronics sector by homing in on the ubiquity and dependability of its mobile network, city to city. Created for the electronics market and executed in the film medium, this campaign sidesteps narrative embellishments, opting instead for the directness of demonstration, which Clapboard’s taxonomy recognizes as FORMAT#1—Demonstration: a technique premised on plainly showing how a product works and highlighting its core benefit. The creative idea centers around a recurring proof point: across multiple urban environments, Verizon’s network performance remains unchallenged, its quality unvaried, and its reputation as the number one provider consistently reaffirmed. The absence of testimonial, celebrity input, or abstract symbol ensures the communication stays focused and unequivocal, appealing directly to consumers whose purchasing decisions hinge on reliability, seamless connectivity, and real-world performance—a decisive factor in the competitive landscape among service providers and device manufacturers like AT&T, T-Mobile, Apple, Samsung, and Google. Strategically, Verizon and its agency capitalized on the insight that for today’s tech-savvy, always-connected users, the promise of uninterrupted, high-performance network coverage is table stakes for brand preference, loyalty, and advocacy. The campaign’s clean, performance-oriented style amplifies brand trust through authenticity, eschewing dramatized storytelling to offer viewers repeated real-world scenarios in which Verizon’s network prevails. A single compelling media asset was leveraged across digital channels, yielding substantial YouTube engagement with a view count surpassing 327,000—affirming efficient audience penetration and engagement within an informed demographic. The campaign earns 57/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. Ya Hear Us Now matters because it demonstrates that in categories defined by parity products and incremental innovation, consistent proof of performance—deployed with disciplined focus rather than rhetorical flair—continues to win the battle for consumer trust.

Coachella - Google Pixel | Clapboard Ad Archive — archive collection thumbnail

Coachella - Google Pixel | Clapboard Ad Archive

Google Pixel’s #BestPhonesForever: Coachella campaign, crafted by EssenceMediacom and released in the United States in 2024, asserts the brand’s AI-led product positioning with surgical clarity by dropping its smartphone headfirst into the heart of a cultural phenomenon where photographic expectations peak: the Coachella festival’s storied sunset. This is not an ambient lifestyle vignette or a wordless demonstration — it is a narrative built around direct rivalry, as iPhone seeks that elusive epic sunset image only for Pixel to realize that its AI-powered Magic Editor is the key to transcending the limitations of traditional mobile photography. By anthropomorphizing both devices as competitive but relatable leads, the campaign executes what Clapboard’s taxonomy classifies as FORMAT#4—Contrast With The Competition, using explicit comparison as both the creative and strategic engine rather than nuance or metaphor. Pixel’s Magic Editor is presented not as an incremental tool, but as a category-disruptive capability, empowering users to effortlessly create standout festival visuals where competing devices fall short; the campaign’s script and visual language are calibrated to reinforce Pixel’s claim as the preferred device for digital content creators who do not want to settle for the default. The market category is fiercely contested, with Apple, Samsung, OnePlus, and Sony all bringing distinct value propositions to the fray, yet this communication locates its point of superiority in Google’s signature blend of computational intelligence and user-friendly interface, tailored for the social storytelling rhythms of digitally native, event-going audiences. The media execution is focused and high-performing, racking up well over 160,000 views and strong conversational activity, amplified by deep social channel integration and a clear path to further engagement across Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, and Facebook — a distribution play that ensures the campaign’s reach matches the expansiveness of its creative ambition. By driving direct engagement and framing the act of mobile photography not as capture but as creation, the campaign slots comfortably into Google Pixel’s broader communications agenda while advancing the narrative that the brand delivers meaningful differentiation where it matters most: in moments of lived experience that get shared with the world. Clapboard rates this 72/100. As competitive storytelling in the electronics market continues to sharpen, this campaign signals that winning on feature parity alone is no longer sufficient when AI-driven personalization can tip both product preference and cultural relevance.

Machine Learning - ADP | Clapboard Ad Archive — archive collection thumbnail

Machine Learning - ADP | Clapboard Ad Archive

ADP’s Machine Learning campaign, developed in Year 2024 by Arnold Worldwide, stakes a decisive claim in the electronics and technology market by plunging into a central business anxiety: can traditional workplace technology keep pace with the breakneck evolution of machine learning, or risk being left behind as AI transforms the future of work? This is no abstract industry forecast; the film-led campaign directly addresses a B2B audience wrestling with operational uncertainty, spotlighting how the tidal shift in artificial intelligence leaves businesses questioning the adaptability of their own systems. Instead of drifting into speculative narratives, the creative rigorously adheres to what Clapboard’s taxonomy defines as FORMAT#2—Show the Problem, Show the Solution—surfacing workplace unease before introducing ADP Assist as the tangible answer. The messaging orbits around ADP Assist’s unique proposition: a purpose-built AI platform, steeped in the realities of workplace data, designed to anticipate the next anything in workforce management rather than just react to it. This approach is squarely targeted at decision-makers and business leaders who don’t need to be convinced of AI’s hype—they need to see hard evidence that this AI can do more than automate; it can help them navigate unpredictability and make smarter, faster, data-driven decisions as new challenges emerge. The campaign’s film medium and strategic investment in broad digital reach has paid dividends, with over 70 million YouTube views signaling clear resonance among technology-sector professionals assessing the effectiveness of their digital toolkits in a rapidly changing landscape. Arnold Worldwide’s execution is distinct in its avoidance of conceptual flourish; the narrative is lean, pragmatic, and business-focused, aligning with the competitive landscape where brands like IBM, Oracle, Workday, SAP, and Microsoft battle for AI workplace credibility but often drift into the generic or overly technical. Here, ADP claims the territory of actionable intelligence—AI that is both advanced in its machine learning architecture and deeply relevant because it is grounded in the messiness and nuance of real workplace data. The campaign stakes a claim for ADP as the pragmatic innovator, a partner for enterprises seeking to go beyond a future-proofing mindset toward an actively opportunity-focused, responsive approach to workforce transformation. In a category often crowded with abstraction, this is a campaign that rewards clarity and direct value articulation. The campaign earns 72/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. As business technology solutions recalibrate for the next wave of AI transformation, this work signals that brands who can translate technical agility into credible business outcomes for real users will define the next phase of category leadership.

Always On - ImOn | Clapboard Ad Archive — archive collection thumbnail

Always On - ImOn | Clapboard Ad Archive

ImOn Communications’ Always On campaign, developed by Fortnight Collective in 2023, extends the narrative momentum established during the brand’s initial Super Bowl presence by revisiting the comedic interplay of two neighbors entangled in confusion over a Wi-Fi network name, a premise inspired by the classic Abbott and Costello Who’s On First routine. This continuation deepens ImOn’s positioning as a community-focused internet provider by humanizing the technology through everyday neighborly banter and relatable misunderstandings, reinforcing the brand’s promise of reliable, seamless connectivity embedded in local relationships across Eastern Iowa. By leveraging a FORMAT#12—Parody or Borrowed Format approach as classified by Clapboard, the campaign uses the recognizable structure and humor of a pop culture comedy skit to engage audiences with a narrative that is both entertaining and strategically aligned with ImOn’s service offering. The campaign’s deployment across a diversified media mix including local cable, OTT, digital platforms, social media, and streaming radio ensures comprehensive reach within its targeted geographic and demographic segments, maximizing brand visibility and consumer engagement in a competitive regional telecommunications market. This media strategy complements the campaign’s thematic focus on neighborly connection and confusion, allowing ImOn to build on the significant brand awareness and positive sentiment gains reported by the brand’s management following the initial launch earlier in 2023. The use of humor rooted in social dynamics around Wi-Fi network naming offers a clever, culturally resonant touchpoint that differentiates ImOn from national competitors like Xfinity, AT&T Internet, Spectrum, CenturyLink, and Mediacom, all of whom emphasize technology, speed, or service breadth rather than local relational narratives. The campaign’s nearly 385,000 views underscore its resonance and effective brand communication within the electronics and technology category. Clapboard rates this campaign 69/100. This campaign matters to the industry because it demonstrates how regional telecommunications brands can leverage culturally familiar comedic formats to translate technical service benefits into engaging, community-centered storytelling that drives both awareness and emotional connection.

Less Screaming. More Streaming. — archive collection thumbnail

Less Screaming. More Streaming.

Roku’s campaign, Less Screaming. More Streaming., launched in the United States in October 2024, offers a fresh and relatable approach to the frustration many consumers experience with streaming technology. Created in collaboration with Fellow Kids, a minority-owned, full-service creative agency known for their mission to save brands from communicating in ineffective noise, this campaign marks the beginning of a promising partnership as Roku embarks on a new phase of brand growth. The campaign leverages film as its primary medium and consists of three media assets that vividly capture the common consumer pain points associated with buying and using smart TVs. The flagship commercial, I HATE BUYING TVS!!! | Roku Commercial, humorously highlights the confusion and overwhelm consumers face amid complicated jargon and overly technical features when purchasing a new TV. Roku positions its smart TV as the straightforward solution that removes complexity by offering intuitive technology with automatic updates, ensuring less frustration—less screaming—and more seamless streaming enjoyment. By addressing the core emotional discomfort tied to streaming devices, the campaign solidifies Roku’s brand promise of simplicity and ease. It aligns messaging with actual consumer behavior and sentiment, inviting viewers to trade in bewildering buzzwords for the clarity and reliability of Roku TV. This strategic communication not only emphasizes functional benefits but also cultivates an emotional connection through humor and authenticity. With Fellow Kids’ creative vision, Roku is successfully cutting through the clutter in the electronic devices market by making streaming accessible and enjoyable again, reinforcing its position as a user-friendly leader in the space. The campaign’s call to action directs audiences to explore Roku TV online, further driving engagement and consideration among frustrated consumers eager for a better streaming experience.

Sound Shopping - Interac Corp. | Clapboard Ad Archive — archive collection thumbnail

Sound Shopping - Interac Corp. | Clapboard Ad Archive

Interac Corp.’s 2022 Sound Shopping campaign, created by Zulu Alpha Kilo for the Canadian electronics market, leverages music as a strategic tool to promote mindful spending amid rising inflation and financial pressures on households. Grounded in research showing 62% of Canadian shoppers seek mechanisms to encourage intentional spending, Interac extends its brand mission of empowering consumers to stay in control of their finances by innovating within the sensory retail environment. Central to the campaign is an original sonic identity and bespoke music track designed with precise adjustments to tempo, mode, and instrumentation to induce calmness and support deliberate purchase decisions. This approach recognizes music’s established influence on retail behavior but reorients it toward fostering emotional regulation and satisfaction rather than impulsivity. The campaign’s defining feature is a rigorously conducted, real-world research study that compares shopper responses to the Sound Shopping track against typical upbeat pop music played in stores. Results demonstrate that participants exposed to the tailored composition experienced heightened calmness and reported a 98% satisfaction rate with their purchases, a significant behavioral impact that validates the sonic intervention’s effectiveness. Running across multiple channels and anchored by a singular media asset, the campaign fits squarely within Clapboard’s FORMAT#1 Demonstration category as it directly showcases how the music product functions to enhance the shopping experience rather than relying on narrative or symbolic devices. With a Clapboard Campaign Score of 73, the initiative underscores Interac’s role as a financial facilitator innovating beyond conventional digital tools into experiential and emotional dimensions of consumer behavior. Sound Shopping exemplifies how an integrated marketing strategy can fuse behavioral science, sonic branding, and creative research to address pressing economic anxieties while reinforcing brand purpose in the electronic devices category. This campaign matters to the industry because it signals a shift toward leveraging multisensory, evidence-based interventions to shape financial behavior, demonstrating that brands can drive meaningful consumer outcomes by embedding mindfulness into everyday retail environments.

Old Backup vs. Eon Backup - Eon | Clapboard Ad Archive — archive collection thumbnail

Old Backup vs. Eon Backup - Eon | Clapboard Ad Archive

Old Backup vs. Eon Backup, Eon.io’s 2025 campaign created by Toaster, redefines the cloud backup conversation for enterprise IT teams by pitting legacy, manual backup methods against the platform’s seamless, intelligent, cloud-native solution—an approach squarely in line with Clapboard’s FORMAT#4—Contrast With the Competition. The film dramatizes Eon.io’s transformation of backup from a passive, cumbersome system into an active, autonomous data layer, using a distinctive retro-futuristic visual narrative to illustrate how the brand elevates backup from mere protection to a tool of business acceleration. Strategically positioned across LinkedIn, paid media, live events, and owned digital platforms, the campaign establishes Eon.io as a next-generation technology partner offering automated, ransomware-proof, and cost-efficient cloud backups that empower enterprises to extract real business value from their data. The creative leverages advanced AI production tools—from VFX and text-to-video engines to generative audio platforms—underscoring Eon.io’s innovation agenda by mirroring the brand’s technological leap not just in message, but in the method of execution itself. By explicitly dramatizing the inefficiency and risk of legacy backups side-by-side with Eon.io’s platform—complete with instant restoration, automated classification across AWS, Azure, and GCP, logically air-gapped immutability, and real-time posture management—the campaign asserts superiority over category incumbents like Acronis, Veeam, and Rubrik, who position themselves around cybersecurity integration, uptime, or automation but do not frame backup as a live, queryable business asset at the heart of IT resilience. The film’s cinematic world-building and clear competitive narrative target those enterprise professionals fatigued by backup’s old positioning and ready to embrace data protection as a lever for analytics, AI, and digital transformation. For a brand that sits within the electronics and technology market category, the campaign’s creative rigor and strategic clarity are amplified by its production provenance: Toaster’s first EMEA project fully engineered through an AI-driven pipeline, delivering premium quality on a disciplined budget while visually reinforcing Eon.io’s retro-futurist identity. Clapboard rates this 69/100. The campaign’s explicit, stylized comparison of the old and the new serves as a signal to the industry that cloud backup marketing can center disruption and intelligence, not just reassurance, and still connect with an expert audience on the frontlines of digital change.