I just think that, as an American product, Robin Hood is more of an English character. I thought of Sherwood Newcastle as more fitting of the image, though not in the value sense.

The build and sound quality for the dollar should be touted, as should the inclusion of only the most practical feature set that allows the user to take full advantage of todays music and movie formats.

I like the ad since it plays off of the Outlaw name but diverts from the usual wild west theme. May I suggest a temporary logo change:

Because, unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent.

Hahaha! That logo is great!

Cheers,

I like the ad. I think it caters to 2nd and 3rd generation home theater shoppers. Besides, aren't these shoppers the ones that read the mags anyway, so they will be slightly more educated on the features and benefits and less on the spec for spec comparison.

I think this ad will stick out better on the page turn than the previous ad series.

One other thing to consider is a call to action, a way to see how successful your ads are. We always used special url's or 800 number in our ads and then had some kind of call to action that the target audience would key in on and we could then catch the impressions generated much easier. Of course, this costs money on top of the ads, but you want to drive people to the site to learn and see more.

Here are my reactions to the ad:

1) The overall look is, well, I would not say "amateurish," but it's just not as elegant or professional looking as something I would expect to see from a company with a big advertising budget. On the other hand, the low-budget look of the ad may actually be exactly what you want, because it echoes Outlaw's philosophy of no-frills, high-value products.

2) "Outlaw" to me suggests the Wild West, not Robin Hood. Building brand identity and recognition requires consistency in the theme of your advertising. Stick to cowboys. On that note, though, I honestly don't like either the name or the logo of the company. Somehow just not sexy enough, and just a strange name for a high-end audio company. (There, I said it. Am I still eligible for the $250 prize?)

3) Use the word "audiophile" in the copy. It is a good word that sets the 1070 apart from mass-market receivers.

4) It would be highly desirable to include a brief quote or excerpt from a professional review praising the 1070. This is very important especially for a relatively young company without much history or name recognition.

5) The binding posts and gold-plated RCA connections are a selling point. Show them in a photo or at least mention them in the copy.

6) Consider saying something like "As a Web-based company already famous for our customer service, we can offer audiophile products at unheard-of prices with no dealer markup." Put the website in boldface, or somehow make it more prominent.

What I really liked about the ad what bringing the bright green back into the picture... The hat would be unnecessary if you went back to the great, glowing, green power button but since that is our, you gotta bring the green back in. As for continuing the campaign, you can follow Errol Flynn's outlaws through the films too and take a shot at Pirates next...

The hat is fantastic. Very cute ad.

I'm against using the word Audiophile. It is so overused it doesn't really mean anything at all.

The colors are great. The 1070 is an impressive receiver at any price point you should emphisize the benefits and price and skip the first paragraph. Drop the paragraph that says "In the 13th Century..." start with "Introducing the Model 1070..." The first paragraph is a hard read.

The add caught my eye on the first pass. It got me to read what you have say. If I saw this in a magazine, I would read it. I did have to look twice to see the address of the web site. Perhaps it would be better/more visible either after or under the "And much more... " over on the right in the list of features. With as little info as is given in the add, make it easy for readers to find out where they can get more info on the product, especially larger, better detailed pictures.

That is the "grayest" black receiver I have ever seen - I think you need a better photo!

I'll admit that I'm not a big fan of the ad, but if you want to stick with it I second javachip's feedback, though I tend to agree with the others that the word "audiophile" is an over-used and under-comprehended descriptor (which perhaps makes it perfect for an ad?).

-SM