Sony Ericsson Unleash W880i On Nigeria Mobile Market
2007-05-31 10:37:55 | Viewed 2630 times
As Nigerians hitch towards the full steaming of recent 3G licencing to four operators by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), products manufacturers also appear ready to match technology with new development, and one of such was Sony Ericsson’s unveiling of its latest walkman mobile phones series - W880i to the market.
Emeka Nkpa, Sony Ericsson’s National Accounts Manager in Nigeria described the sleek device as an “indispensable companion keeping people connected, informed and entertained wherever they may be. Therefore, we see them not only as a means of communication but also as means of self expression which has been the reason why we make phones that enable people go about both their personal and business lives easily.”
The W880i represents a milestone in the Walkman phone portfolio. Although without doubt one of the slimmest music phones available with a 1GB capacity, the true beauty of its design is seen in the brushed stainless steel finish and the stand-out colour variants; either Steel Silver or Flame Black.
The W880i is about more than just good looks. The Disc2Phone music management software allows the user to transfer their tracks easily and with no fuss from PC straight onto the phone. With Bluetooth audio streaming, all of that music can be enjoyed wirelessly on a Stereo Bluetooth headset such as the HBH-DS970, or by streaming music directly to a home or car stereo (via the new music Bluetooth receiver MBR-100). Important for a music phone, all of these functions have been introduced without having to compromise on battery life.
The W880i delivers up to 18 hours music listening time, and features a flight mode which allows the phone to be switched-off in mobile-prohibited environments.
In continuation of showcasing the new life given to Sony Ericsson brand globally which has been on since late last year, Sony Ericsson today launches a new look for its mobile phone brand in Nigeria. Based on a simple core concept and a new colourful execution, the company’s famous green logo, known as the liquid identity, is wrapped within a message that focuses on the individual and their feelings for what Sony Ericsson’s products, accessories and applications enable them to do.
The result is an engaging new brand treatment that will differentiate Sony Ericsson and project the full attributes of the company’s innovative mobile phones.
According to Dee Dutta, CVP and Head of Marketing for Sony Ericsson, the company is entering a phase of aggressive growth and to succeed, it is important that people everywhere can connect with the brand at every level. “Over the past five years, our brand has become established in the minds of our consumers. Now it is time for us to appeal to both the minds and the hearts of consumers. The mobile device will become increasingly central to our lives in many different ways and as this happens, it is vital that our brand stands out above others with energy, passion and excitement,” he adds.
The brand identity includes a new range of vibrant colours, deliberately selected to stand out from the white, grey, black and blue tones used by most technology brands today. In addition to the new colours, there is a strong central concept comprising two key elements – a worded message and the portrayal of sentiment around the Sony Ericsson liquid identity.
The rules are simple: the message always starts with ‘I’, the individual, followed by the liquid identity and then a message relating to the things the individual loves, cares about or is inspired by. This framework can be applied in any number of ways, in any language, connecting with the audience visually and instantly.
Andrew Warner, Head of Brand Management for Sony Ericsson, explains how the identity is designed to connect with its audience: “As soon as you see this, there is immediate engagement between you and the Sony Ericsson brand. The message is that it is treating you as an individual – it is not telling you what to think about Sony Ericsson, it is reflecting what you think. This is not just a traditional, static brand identity. We plan to increase our use of interactive media to build a dialogue with consumers around the world and effectively start co-creating our brand messages with them.”
“People want to know how our products can add to their life - how connected they can be, how much fun they can have, how much better they can work, and more. Our new brand identity relates our products to the things people care about in a very simple way. It is focused less on what’s inside the products and more on what consumers get out of them,” he concludes. Simplicity is the underlying principle that runs through every aspect of Sony Ericsson’s business, from product design to marketing, so the new brand look will further strengthen the company’s commitment to this approach.
Adam Throup, Creative Director at Wolff Olins, the leading global brand consultancy that designed the new look elaborates: “We are developing a distinctive global brand that is flexible enough to embrace local differences, speaking directly to people about what they want and what they love doing.”
Besides the W880i, Sony Ericsson has recently introduced some new models in its Walkman series including W610i and W200i — walkman phone for everyone.
|
 |
|
|
 |
