The move comes amid first- quarter earnings results for the key global players. Motorola, one of Sony Ericsson’s key competitors in China, announced a first-quarter loss, while Nokia also reported a 6.6 per cent fall in Q1 net profit on sales of lower-priced handsets in China and India, despite an increase in revenue of 3.7 per cent.
Sony Ericsson however, has posted strong gains globally, particularly from its multi-media handsets, with Q1 profit more than doubling on sales of phones with digital cameras and music players.
“We’ve got a good brand image and we’ve definitely got a strong image in music through the Walkman brand name,” said Charles Sampson, CEO, Saatchis Beijing.
“The music phones account for a significant chunk of overall business, and that’s why we’re pushing the music platform so heavily. Long term, it doesn’t make sense to have two devices when you can do it all on your phone.
“The iPod, for example, is still very popular, but the number of people listening
to music on their phones is growing quickly, and it will continue to grow.”
The teaser campaign, which will run for two months in the lead-up to the main communications burst, is the first locally developed work since the global alignment with Saatchi & Saatchi.
Featuring the music of Taiwanese pop star Wang Li Hom, who enjoys considerable acclaim in China, the campaign is spearheaded by television and supported by print and online.
“While launching these three new phones, it’s also about really launching this music platform in China, which is based on the insight that music brings people closer,” said Sampson.
The spot opens with three strangers sitting next to each other on a subway. The two trendy youths on either side of the middle-aged businessman begin singing along to Wang’s hit love song Hua Tian Cuo on their phones.
Then, the businessman’s phone — Sony Ericsson’s high-end Ai W888c — begins ringing with the same tune. This catches the attention of the youths, and all three begin dancing in their seats, communicating the platform’s message that music brings people together.
According to Sampson, the main burst is expected to launch in the next two months, and it will expand on Sony Ericsson’s music platform.
