Chalk this purely under the WTF category, but the above header is about as real as it gets. In Dubai, the country with no shortage of money which currently houses some of the world’s most beautiful buildings, is getting something exotic that goes in line with the lifestyle that the wealthy get to enjoy there. Set to debut on December 3rd, 2014, Sony is opening an underwater ‘Xperia Aquatech’ store according to Rüediger Odenbac, Vice President of Sony Mobile Middle East and Africa. The new underwater Sony store will allow select Sony customers. VIPs, and media to view and play with waterproof Sony smartphones and tablets like the Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact.

According to Odenbac, they

 promised 2014 would be a year marked by a Bigger, Better, and Bolder Sony approach to both our products and the way we present them 

and they believe this is one such way. That is, if it wasn’t the most absurd idea ever. Let me explain.

While a neat idea and very catchy during a marketing meeting, the Sony Xperia Aquatech store is purely aimed at the elite. Unlike a traditional store which anyone can waltz in on, the Xperia Aquatech store is located on the seabed, 4 meters below the surface. In order to get there, trained divers will escort select customers and VIPs down to the store. According to Sony, you’ll be

 able to stand on the seabed and breathe perfectly normally 

For a minute, forget all the liabilities and negative press that can be had if something were to go wrong and lets assume everything works without a hitch. The store is already aimed at the elite market, something that doesn’t help Sony. Sony has lost big in the low-end and mid-range smartphone market, much in the same light as Samsung, who reported a drop in profits nearing 60% last quarter. To that end, Sony wants to focus on the lucrative high-end market which is dominantly controlled by Apple. That in itself isn’t a problem, but the approach is.

Instead of targeting the general public and making their smartphone and tablets the device to own, Sony wants to pitch their products to the ultra wealthy in order to get them onboard and in doing so, hope that others see that this is the device to own (say like a Rolls Royce) and thus purchase one themselves? If that’s the case, Sony is missing the mark by a mile if they assume a top down approach like that works. Remember Sony televisions are also designed for the high-end consumer – and how well is their TV business doing?

If instead the whole point of this is to get some media attention on their products (which have been well received by the press and shouldn’t need gimmicks to be sold) then Sony once again needs to rethink their strategy. The truth of such a stunt is that it’s not cheap to make it happen and the impact is minimal at best. Surely the reach of one store that’s targeted at the elite is neglectable if the goal is to get consumers to talk about the products they see there. If the idea is to get some internet buzz then Sony should know that a story done is only as hot as the day it’s released, and forgotten by tomorrow.

Instead, for whatever money Sony is spending on this absurd idea, Sony could set up many more kiosks in malls, much in the same vein as Samsung during the ever so important holiday season and have all of their products in fish tanks. That alone is attention-grabbing and when somebody approaches, they simply reach into the tank and pull out the smartphone or tablet and start playing with it. Guess what gets more traffic on a daily basis: an underwater store for VIPs, or a mall? If all else fails, how about some television ads?

Full statement from Rüediger Odenbac:

 We promised 2014 would be a year marked by a Bigger, Better and Bolder Sony approach to both our products and the way we present them. Currently, Sony Mobile offers its consumers a wide range of Xperia smartphones, tablets, and accessories with the highest waterproof rating, and today we have taken the bold step of creating The World’s First Xperia Aquatech Store, which will offer a number of our customers and guests an exhilarating and unforgettable experience, once again highlighting Xperia’s passion for innovation in the smartphone market. 

Discuss:

What do you think about the Sony underwater Xperia Aquatech store concept?