BlackBerry made a splash with CEO Thorsten Heins unveiled songstress Alicia Keys as the company’s new creative director last month at the launch of its new BlackBerry 10 OS. Keys is a fine choice, but in case her break-up with her iPhone doesn’t hold, we’ve helped Heins by compiling a short-list of possible replacements.

1. BlackBerry’s backup creative
directors
BlackBerry made a splash when
CEO Thorsten Heins unveiled
songstress Alicia Keys as the
company’s new creative director
last month at the launch of its
new BlackBerry 10 OS.
Keys is a fine choice, but in case
her break-up with her iPhone
doesn’t hold, we’ve helped
Heins by compiling a short-list
of possible replacements
BlackBerry’s creative muse.
By Jeff Jedras

2. Gloria Gaynor
A woman who never goes down
without a fight, with Gloria
Gaynor as creative director, we
can rest assured that BlackBerry
Will Survive.
After all, BlackBerry is a company
that Never Can Say Goodbye.
Not everyone likes its
smartphones, but as Gloria would
tell them, I Am What I Am.

3. Aretha Franklin
If there’s one thing that can be said
of BlackBerry on recent years, it’s
that A Little Respect would be nice.
It’s a feeling Aretha Franklin could
echo as BlackBerry’s creative
director.
For BlackBerry diehards, she’d
support Giving Him Something He
Can Feel (like a hard qwerty
keyboard), so they wouldn’t have to
turn to a Chain of Fools, like Android.

4. Bill Medley
Along with the late Bobby
Hatfield, Medley was part of pop duo
The Righteouus Brothers.
What better creative director to find
out why so many former BlackBerry
users around the world have Lost That
Loving Feeling? After all, if they could
only love BlackBerry like they used to
do, all would be well once again.
If they don’t come back
though, BlackBerry can always just Go
Ahead and Cry.

5. Roger Daltrey and Pete
Townsend
With the two The Who frontmen serving
as BlackBerry’s creative directors, the
vendor could be sure smartphone
buyers Won’t Get Fooled Again by the
likes of Apple and Android.
And people using the new BlackBerry
Z10 are already saying You Better You
Bet.
Plus, as much as I enjoy BrickBreaker, it’s
time for a new BlackBerry signature
game: Pinball Wizard.

6. Public Enemy
If BlackBerry wanted to go in a
more confrontational
direction, hiring hip hop group
Public Enemy as their creative
directors would be a bold move, but
also a seamless fit.
After all, Don’t Believe The Hype
has been a message BlackBerry has
been sending to would-be defectors
for years.
Although perhaps after years of
Fight(ing) The Power, BlackBerry is
ready for a new path.