HP launch new laptop by giving free chauffer-driven journeys across London

To promote the new HP Envy 14 Spectre Ultrabook, Hewlett Packard is offering Londoners the chance to enjoy a free chauffeur driven ride to any destination within Zones 1 and 2 in one of its branded Mercedes people carriers. While in the cars, passengers are able to trial the new laptop (given 4.5/5 stars here in this Pocket-lint review), while taking advantage of the onboard Wi-Fi.

If you're happy to whore out your Facebook/Twitter feed, you can also enter a draw to win your own Spectre by updating with #HPSpectreShuttle and a short message about the journey you're on. The winner will be picked at random on 30th April and will be informed the next day.

Here are the free ride pickup points if you're feeling particularly cheap:

The campaign started on the 16th April and will last for two weeks.

According to Topsy.com (here), there have only been a hundred or so tweets including the term #hpspectreshuttle (including tweets from HP), which must be rather disappointing considering the expense the company must have gone to so far.

It reminds me of a similar effort in 2010 by Virgin Media (and Borkowski PR – now Beige PR) when they put on a fleet of supercars to celebrate the announcement of its 100mbs broadband. The difference being that the Virgin idea got as much as (or more) media coverage and as the cars were only available between 10am and 4pm on one day, ensuring it would have been much less expensive. Also, the leap from fast supercars to fast broadband is much more obvious than the leap from new laptop to people carriers providing free journeys around London (bloody hell, I sound like a moaner).

What I really mean is: not a bad effort. Take advantage of a free ride if you're near any of the four pickup points.

Source: HP's Facebook page, tweeted to me by Sharmee Mavadia

ALL Technology