Gorman Blog 2: Nokia's keeping it real this holiday season

Nokia has launched a new campaign named "Holiday Realness" that lets customers connect with each other and share what the holidays mean to them (and how Nokia helps them experience and share it). Their tag is, “If it’s real to you, it’s right,” covers the social media spectrum including YouTube, Faceboook, Twitter and Instagram (#holidayrealness) as well as a dedicated site (http://www.nokia.com/us-en/holidayrealness/).   Included in the campaign are series of videos produced by Nokia featuring “real holiday celebrationgs” including 3 a.m. Christmas carolers and dog-obsessed Christmas parties.  Visitors are encouraged to share their real holiday moments and memories – in words, videos or pictures.  Tweets and Instagrams with the hashtag are reposted to the dedicated site.  In addition, visitors to the website can create and share holiday cards called “Oh Snaps!” that allow you to superimpose your friends’ faces onto funny holiday scenes (presumably, using pics taken from your Nokia phone) that you can use as profile pics, share to Facebook, Instagram, etc. 

The campaign is trying to embrace and use content that many consumers currently share with their mobile devices:  photos of kittens, quirky family traditions, etc., while at the same time showcasing how the Nokia can help capture those moments.  I think the idea of celebrating the different ways consumers celebrate the holidays shows how easily we can connect with one another using technology.  As you explore the site, you see ads for the new Nokia, but you aren’t overwhelmed with the advertising.  In fact, there are some moments that show users why/how the Nokia is the best option to capture and share their holiday memories – because it works in any light, without flash, creating the best outcome for sharing images and videos.   

The campaign doesn’t necessarily make me want to go out and buy a Nokia—as an avid iPhone user, it would be a big jump to switch.  However, I like that Nokia is trying to “keep it real” using a campaign that directly ties to its product.  And I am impressed with the creativity in using a multi-media approach with pictures and videos that provides a direct link  the phone’s capabilities, and connects it to a variety of social media avenues that showcase the same thing.   I did use the site for social interaction and that’s saying something – I actually created a few Oh Snaps! and shared them with a couple friends, which I have to admit were pretty funny.   So maybe if I did switch to Android, I’d go with a Nokia…but for now I’m sticking to my iPhone.