Thursday, February 10, 2005

Big Mobile meets Big Food

In what has now passed into geek folklore a young Steve Jobs recruited PepsiCo CEO John Sculley to go out to Silicon Valley and run Apple Computer with words to the effect of "Do you want to make a dent in the universe, or do you want to sell fizzy-sugared water all your life?"

Unfortunately for Apple Sculley accepted Jobs' invitation, move forward some 20 years and Nokia, the king of the mobile device providers signed a deal with Coca-Cola, becoming a digital pimp for the Big Food group peddling fizzy-sugared water to the masses, rather than trying to make dent in the universe. From what I have read on Nokia's website, the company's Local Marketing Solution provides a nightmarish Minority Report-style advertising campaign direct to your smartphone via Bluetooth.

NOKIA PRESS RELEASE February 10, 2005

Nokia and Coca-Cola Showcase the new Nokia Local Marketing Solution

3GSM Conference visitors in Cannes, France discover the newest ways of mobile marketing

Nokia and Coca-Cola will take a major step in mobile marketing as the companies together demonstrate the Nokia Local Marketing Solution at the 3GSM Conference 2005 in Cannes. With this new solution these two companies will provide local information of seminars as well as other service offerings during the conference directly to visitors' Nokia Series 60 phones. Visitors to the 3GSM Conference will receive direct service shortcuts to their smart phones when passing by the Bluetooth Service Points at Nokia stands and other selected venues in the conference area.

The Nokia Local Marketing Solution is a new mobile marketing solution that brings services to customers' smart phones via Bluetooth. "All the information and service shortcuts delivered through the Nokia Local Marketing Solution are based on consumer permission, preferences, and location. This is truly a user-friendly solution. The user discovers direct shortcuts to mobile services through only a few clicks," said Sakari Kotola, Director, Nokia Ventures Organization.

"We build on an established relationship with Nokia in the field of mobile marketing and we want to be among the first in taking the Nokia Local Marketing Solution in use. We will demonstrate the Nokia Local Marketing Solution at Cannes by providing conference visitors Coca-Cola wallpapers, mobile coupons, video clips and other mobile content," said Chris Burggraeve, Division Marketing Director, Coca-Cola GmbH, Berlin.

The Nokia Local Marketing Solution consists of three elements: Nokia Local Info client software for the Nokia Series 60 devices, Nokia Service Point LMP 10 and Nokia Service Manager LMM 10 system. Service Points include several Bluetooth modules and a GPRS module, situated in selected service advertisement locations, for example in a store or in the fair stand. The solution is easy to manage, as a user database is not needed. The Service Manager system is centralized, and connected to Service Points via a GPRS network.

The Nokia Local Marketing Solution will be demonstrated at the 3GSM Conference 2005 in Cannes, France. The Nokia Local Info client software runs in Nokia Series 60 terminals starting from Nokia 6600 and can be downloaded during the conference from Nokia's 3GSM web-site www.nokia.com/3gsm or by sending text message "NLMS" to number +358407799890. In the conference, the Local Info client can also be downloaded in Nokia main stand (A9, Hall 1) and Nokia Hospitality Lounge (Hall 2, level 5).

About Nokia
Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations.


About Coca-Cola
The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world's best-known brand, the Company markets four of the world's top five soft drink brands, including diet Coke, Fanta and Sprite, and a wide range of other beverages, including diet and light soft drinks, waters, juices and juice drinks, teas, coffees and sports drinks. Through the world's largest distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company's beverages at a rate exceeding 1 billion servings each day. In 2003 the German Team created the biggest mobile marketing initiative at that time, with the Fanta Flaschenpost, a Bundle promotion with 7 leading brands participating and 160 million individual codes on equally many packs.


Media Enquiries:

Nokia
Nokia Ventures Organization
Communications
Tel. +358 7180 36117

Nokia
Communications
Tel. +358 7180 34900

Nokia Local Marketing Solution