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Nokia starts advertising campaign in Japan for new mobile phone terminal with YO-BE-BA - a voice recognition function
May 07, 1998
Nokia Mobile Communications K.K. announced today that it will start a nationwide advertising campaign in Japan beginning May 11, in line with the market launch of a new PDC mobile phone terminal with a voice recognition function called YO-BE-BA.
The new Nokia phone is very compact, weighing only 99 grams and allowing users to send and receive short messages. To create message in Japanese easily, 7,000 Kanji characters and 43,000 words are installed in the phone's dictionary function. Like other Nokia products, it has a large display, an easy-to-use keypad layout and a unique mode function. It comes in a variety of color choices with unique 'flip' colors.
The campaign will include TV, newspaper, magazine, station poster and in-train poster adverts with all executions created specifically for this market launch. The concept of the traditional Tea Ceremony, with its association of communicating, has been used to represent Nokia's corporate slogan, 'Connecting People'. The TV commercial uses genuine people, featuring a real tea master and greatest master of a traditional style of Japanese dance as his apprentice. These highly original pieces were created by director, Mr. Souichi Kimura, and photographer, Mr. Yoshihiko Ueda. With Ms. Sachiko Ito as a stylist, the TV commercial uses genuine articles as details, including a kimono and fukusa (an authentic Japanese wrapping cloth used in the tea ceremony). Michael Forman's jazz vocal and sax playing creates a synergy effect of visual creativeness.
"The creative execution of Nokia's new campaign is quite unique. It takes a traditional notion and redresses it with modern aspects, marrying old and new, Japan and Europe, in their common appreciation of age and culture," commented Olav Stang, President of Nokia Mobile Communications K.K. "This is the largest campaign to be run since our entry into Japan in 1994. We hope that through this campaign, Japanese customers will become more familiar with Nokia's new product as well as with our corporate philosophy."
This new technology, the YO-BE-BA function, was introduced at COM JAPAN in November 1997. By pressing a dedicated YO-BE-BA button on the back of the phone, a user can dial any number after verbalizing a pre-recorded name (voice tag) - without looking at the display. The user simply - presses the button and says the desired name, - hears a voice confirming the correct name and - presses the button again to make the call. The product dials up to 6 numbers with voice tags stored in a phonebook. The function to record the conversation is also handled by this Yo-Be-Ba botton. Future Nokia products for the Japanese market will have this new, innovative function.
Nokia Mobile Communications K.K. (formerly Nokia Mobile Phones (Japan)) was established in 1993. In Japan, Nokia has supplied digital mobile phone terminals to the market through major operators since 1994. In 1995, an R&D center was founded in Tokyo, emphasizing Nokia's commitment to developing products tailored to Japanese customers. In 1997, Nokia was one of the companies selected by NTT Mobile Communications Network Inc. (NTT DoCoMo) to participate in the development of the future third generation technology. Nokia is actively participating in the development of the new technology and has strongly supported harmonization between Japan and Europe, resulting in a common third generation system for Asia and Europe.
Headquartered in Finland, Nokia is a broad-scope telecommunications company supplying mobile phones, mobile and fixed telecommunications networks, data communications solutions, multimedia terminals and computer monitors. With sales in 130 countries, net sales totaled FIM 52.6 billion ($9.8 billion) in 1997. Nokia employs more than 38,000 people worldwide.
For further information, please contact:
Shoko Ueno, Communications Manager, Nokia Mobile Communications K.K.
Tel. (Int.) +81 3 3597 0200
Fax (Int.) +81 3 3597 0199
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