Cisco Pitches $250,000 Router as Valentine’s Gift

By Ashlee Vance
In my experience, a discussion about large back-haul capacity stands as a surefire way to kill a romantic mood. And yet here’s Cisco Systems arguing that such talk will win over your loved one on Valentine’s Day.
The networking company has put up a comic Internet ad, championing the ASR 9000 router that it started selling last November. This is some serious metal with an average price around $250,000 and meant for large service providers sending out vast streams of data.
It’s tough to add mainstream appeal to a router usually tucked away in the dark realms of data centers, but Cisco has made a noble effort. Apparently, the router is the fourth way to show your love for someone after buying diamonds, purchasing a tropical vacation and carving your initials in a tree.
“Because nothing says ‘forever’ like up to 6.4 terabits per second,” says the Cisco voiceover in the ad.
The commercial fits into an extended online campaign Cisco ran around the product, which includes appearances from chief executive John Chambers in a couple of skits.