Gov’t

CDW-G ⇒ is a subdivision that allows public-sector buyers to purchase computers from the computer reseller CDW ⇒. Many local, state, and national governments place legal restrictions upon their procurement operations to avoid the likelihood of impropriety.

Between not being a government procurement agent and enjoying the activity of building my own computers, I am not a potential customer of CDW-G. The second reason keeps me from bothering with the mother company as well. The only reason that I have this shirt is because Donor, Donor & Patron Mandy* found this shirt within a box with the word “FREE” written on the side and knew that I enjoy free shirts.

In Loving Memory Of Fred I

CDW commissioned two television advertisement campaigns that both feature an Information Technologist named Fred. Had I never seen some of these commercials in the past, I would have had no conception of the company beyond looking through catalogs.

I am a fan of the first series (1 ⇒ and 2 ⇒ of an incomplete set). Various office people ask computer questions of Fred, whose point of view the viewer experiences. Fred is given no time to respond between asinine requests. This Fred is sympathetic. This campaign is one of the few that I enjoyed watching when they came on. Perhaps not enough to seek out, but no ad campaign is worth doing so.

In the second series (1 ⇒), we are no longer Fred. Fred is now just some “cool” IT guy that is actually a mean-spirited boor that belittles his co-workers’ technology confidence. The slightly clever concept of the first ad is replaced by a pathetic attempt at humor and Fred revivalism.