Nokia switches focus to entertainment from “with music”

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 | By Joe Fernandez

The Finnish brand has previously marketed its handsets under the “Nokia Comes With Music” banner. Comes with Music is a music service offering unlimited access to millions of tracks that users can download and keep. TheThe positioning was first launched in a £10m campaign in 2008. It has now opted to change direction in favour of a focus on entertainment.

Nokia UK head of brand Fiona Bosman says: “Offering total entertainment solutions and bringing entertainment to life is our new brand vision.

“The Comes With Music campaign had some success, but we feel it is time to take the brand in a different direction and tap into the accessibility of mobile entertainment.”

According to its latest results, Nokia has a 40% share of the global smartphone market. However, it has struggled to develop smartphones that match the popularity of Apple’s iPhone and Research In Motion’s BlackBerry range.

Nokia plans to revamp its image with the launch of the new X6 handset, released on 24 February. It is being backed by a multimillion-pound integrated campaign. The move comes just a week after Apple launched the iPad as a new entertainment device.

Interbrand managing director Graham Hales says: “This is a positive move for Nokia, which is realising that it’s not just about being a handset manufacturer anymore. The question now will be how quickly it can catch up with its competitors in an increasingly crowded market - and will it be good enough to change consumer behaviour?”

Nokia is still seeking a UK marketing director, following Will Harris’ promotion to the same role in the mobile manufacturer’s South-east Asia and Pacific division.