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Nokia’s ingenious marketing campaign

Nokia’s ingenious marketing campaign
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August 3, 2005 It’s not often that you see a clever scheme where everybody wins but Sydney-based mobile communication company KahDo has come up with a unique medium that brings advertisers and consumers together. More than just outdoor advertising, KahDo’s fleet of 100 branded Smart Cars are driven by real consumers, and aims to achieve advertising effectiveness through unexpectedness. The drivers are hand picked for their socially active, urban lifestyle. Kahdo recruits a select community of opinion leaders by offering them a fully maintained Smart car for a subsidised cost of AUD$35 (US$26) per week. In return for the subsidised car, exclusive product usage, free samples and invitations to special events, these influential 18 to 34 year old urban consumers agree to ambassador status and minimum usage levels of the cars that are wrapped in advertising. Telecommunications giant Nokia was the first to take to the streets of Australia’s two largest cities (Sydney and Melbourne) this week using the innovative, new marketing concept to reach young, urban consumers with unique messages about the brand.

The KahDo Smart Cars are driven by carefully selected consumers, who are happy to drive a branded vehicle for only $35 per week. Each driver is selected through a process of demographic and psychographic testing to ensure they fit the profile of a ‘social influencer’.

“We’ve taken the Nokia brand and put it on wheels to deliver our message to a wide range of consumers in a surprising and innovative way. Instead of waiting for consumers to come to us and visit a mobile phone shop, we are taking our messaging and product to them,” said Antony Wilson, Marketing Director, Nokia Australia.

The cars will carry Nokia’s Music Goes Mobile messaging – reference to a dedicated Nokia website and platform designed to promote Nokia handsets and music to the youth market.

The Music Goes Mobile website provides information on all the latest multimedia handsets, music downloads, Nokia’s music initiatives, such as Nokia Connecting Beats and Terminal 9, and exclusive content from bands Nokia is working with, such as Evermore.

“Nokia is now the world’s largest manufacturer of music players and by the end of 2005 we expect to sell close to 40 million music devices,” stated Mr Wilson.

“The KahDo partnership provides us with an accessible means to take our music messaging to the streets, demonstrate our commitment to the music arena and raise awareness of some of the interesting activities we are involved with at the moment,” said Mr Wilson.

To qualify to drive a KahDo car, each driver is required to have a clean driving licence, live within a 20 kilometre radius of the city and live a socially driven, urban lifestyle.

“Driven by 18 to 34 year old urban consumers, KahDo goes where real consumers go, helping advertisers connect with their audience in a more targeted and consumer–centric manner. KahDo reaches consumers when they are ‘out and about’ living life, at times and locations relevant to their urban lifestyle.

“We are all thrilled to have Nokia as our launch partner. Our drivers are fully equipped with the necessary knowledge about the Music Goes Mobile campaign and eager to spread the word amongst their personal networks,” said Chris McMillian, Co–founder and Director of Sales & Marketing, KahDo.

Each driver will be equipped with the latest Nokia 6230i handset and Nokia plug and play car kit. The Nokia 6230i handset includes video streaming, a 1.3 megapixel camera, Push to Talk and visual radio.

Patrick Carrera, a Sydney DJ, recently signed up to be a KahDo driver and is excited about getting behind the wheel of one of the new Nokia branded KahDo cars.

“It’s a really cheap and convenient way to get around town in a great looking car and I love the fact that I also have a new Nokia mobile phone to use. I’ll be happy to tell all my friends about it,” said Carrera. The Nokia fleet will be on the streets of Sydney and Melbourne until the end of October.

All you social influencers out there who live in Melbourne and Sydney can apply to become a KahDo driver via the website

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