Is Nokia's "Blown away by Lumia" marketing campaign in India unethical? Samsung thinks so.

By Rich Edmonds
last updated

Nokia has been aggressively marketing their Lumia family of Windows Phones on a massive global scale, with events sporting 4D projections, augmented reality experiences, and live music performances the manufacturer appears to have extraordinarily deep pockets for the marketing budget, something that Microsoft needs from an OEM with its new mobile platform. 

As well as Nokia we've seen Microsoft pushing hard with carriers and the famous Smoked by Windows Phone campaign. Following on from this successful array of stunts, Nokia has kicked off "Blown away by Lumia" in India, which hasn't gone down too well with Samsung, who is backing the Galaxy family of devices. The Finnish manufacturer also took to the streets in the UK with the "Lumia Challenge", sharing the same concept.

Back to the "Blown Away by Lumia" campaign in India, check out the following video, which is one of many adverts Nokia has where competitor handsets are literally 'blown away' by Lumia Windows Phones.

As with the Smoked by Windows Phone challenges, contestants have to try and best the Windows Phone (a Lumia handset in this case) with general smartphone tasks, such as taking a photo and uploading it to Facebook. Which ever device completes the task first wins. Should the contestant lose, they have to hold up a sign that reads: 'My phone just got blown away by the Nokia Lumia'.

Nokia explains the challenges were validated by Nielsen, with Nokia India Director of Marketing, Viral Oza, commenting the following on the accusations of unethical campaigning:

"The Lumia 800 emerged as a clear winner by winning 94% of the total 104 challenges timed by Nielsen. This challenge has not been created to target competition but to highlight the social media capabilities of the device."

Samsung, however, shares a different view and an Indian spokesperson stated that the campaign is "clearly unethical". The complaint is based on the view that the video clips Nokia has uploaded mostly target the Korean manufacturer's popular devices. It's a fierce battle between the two handset makers in India so it'll be interesting to see how this plays off in the future, especially with Samsung's Windows Phone lineup.

What do you guys think of Samsung's claims?

Source: India Times

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds is Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him over on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

34 Comments
  • I like Samsung personally, but they should have a cup of concrete and harden the hell up. 
  • Not unethical, just so happens that too many Indians are carrying rubbish Galaxy dreck foisted on them by Samstunk.
  • Well, if Samsung phones have high marketshare, then naturally a lot of Samsung phones are going to be up against the Nokia phone.
     
    Hey Samsung, instead of crying about how often your phones get beaten, how about joining the party with your own Windows Phone promotions? Oh, that's right, you'd have to compete against yourself. Oh, but you already do on so many levels: providing components to the competition, being sued by the competition, making phones that use a competing operating system.
     
    Other manufacturers produce phones using both Windows Phone and a competing operating system, including Nokia, yet no one else is complaining. Please stop whining and figure out how to do better.
  • Sore losers looks like
  • I've got a Samsung Omnia7 and I say an old Scots saying: Man up or fuck up Samsung!
    Nokia is really pushing WinPho marketing which can't be said much of the others.
  • Right now I think Samsung makes the best android devices. I think Nokia is going after the best. Wouldn't make sense to compare their phones against the worst.   
  • Sore losers, and it just so happens that many people at the time were using their own phones.
  • There was now mention of any manufacturer other than the NOKIA... whatever :P
  • Stop your crocodile tears,Samsung!
  • I'm amused because Samsung had their Galaxy note ads in the US blatantly targeted at Apple. 
  • Completely agree, and not to mention insulting the iPhone in one of the ads I've watched on youtube. They call out Nokia for targeting their devices in the 'Blown Away by Lumia' and yet before that, they insult the iPhone in their Note ads. Hypocrites.
  • This!!
  • To claim it's unethical is just hilarious. Samsung's answer should just be better phones, but no, they have to cry about it.
  • SURE Samsung, sure... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2gjn12QS9I  
  • Did Samsung made a good Android phone? I don't think so, Samsung is such a lousy crappy thing in the Galaxy! HTC Android phone is over 1000000 times better then other Android phone makers. But, .... Still smoke by my HTC or Nokia Windows Phone.
  • Lol! Thats subjective dude!, but whatever as long as you're for WP.....
  • Sore loosers for sure, but we need Samsung as a WP device maker, and I love Samsung, and Nokia devices... Hopefully this works out to competition between Samsung, and Nokia between WP devices not Nokia vs Samsung Android devices. We need companies competing to make the best WP device, and Android will fizzle down to whatever...
  • All I heard was waah, waah, waah, our phones got beat. waah, waah, waah Its driving customers away. waah, waah, waah, so this is obviously "unethical". Bah sour grapes the entire lot.. Nokia FTW.
  • Nokia taking 1# Seller of WP doesn't bother Samsung, this irritated them? Could have used press release to promote their own WP devices.
  • If they don't want to lose these types of contests they need to market their phones that do what the Lumia can do. I'm sure it would be neck and neck if the guy had a 2nd generation Samsung Windows Phone... but so few people have those devices because Samsung is unwilling to market them properly. So when a competitor comes up, has a Samsung Android device, and it loses this contest, why not take that as a sign that you need to market the phone from your reperitoire that can do what the Lumia does?
    I can't tell you how many times I have done exactly what that video shows in the challenge... take the phone out, take a picture, and post to Facebook. It's something people care about and is done best by Windows Phone. When compared to iPhone or Android, Windows Phone will almost always win on speed of routine tasks.
    At least Nokia has an actual marketing campaign for Windows Phone. Other OEM's won't market Windows Phone until it has proven itself in market share, yet Windows Phone can't gain traction in market share without proper marketing. At lease Nokia is putting an effort into it.
  • "which is one of many adverts Nokia has where competitor handsets are literally 'blown away' by Lumia Windows Phones."
    Wouldn't that mean that they actually destroy the handsets violently? That's what the "literally" implies. I was sad to see that not happening when I watched the video.
  • Depends how you take "blown away" ;-)
  • Lumia ads unethical?  No worse than Samsung's iPhone mocking commercials.
    It's just sour grapes on Samsung's part.
  • Totally agreed with you!
    Samsung is such a shameless crap that just know how to copy n copy then claim that the copy is their own invention and others is just the 1 who copy!
    Shame Samsung!
  • Samsung: you're unethical
    Nokia : whatever :)...... you've enjoyed a lot while I was making Lumia phones..now I'm back...u better suck it up...
    Indians love Nokia..that's the bottom-line.
  • Is that guy from Samsung dumb? Samsung sells WP devices as well... just grip to it! Don't miss the wave crying about it...
  • Thanks for the controversy Samsung. Now more people are going to see "Blown away by Windows Phone" and you're looking like whinners in the process.
  • There's no reason Samsung cannot counter by investing more in Windows Phone handsets (as most of the Nokia wins are likely due to Windows Phone characteristics).
  • Before this... I HAD some respect for Samsung (own hella TV's from the for sure)... But... Really??? Are they THAT LOST that they cry about stuff like this? What happened to "innovation" Now that some1 is making BETTER phones... Why not get off the Galaxy S II or NOTE or SKETCH or whatever ur gonna call ur next droid and market a REALLY superior OS? Don't cry cuz the software you put on your dual/tripple/quad-core phones make them slower than a Pentium I... that's YOUR choice... Man up! jejeje
  • Instead of Samsung crying fouls, they should come up with Windows Phone with lots of exclusive content to compete with Nokia. If this Nokia trends continues, people might go for Nokia WP and neglect other OEM. sorry HTC,Samsung,LG etc give us solid WP not a recycle Android hardware.
  • I still don't get why Samsung is complaining about Nokia. Aren't they also in the Windows Phone game, or did they actually pull out and now there complaining that Nokia is taking the spotlight? Shut up Samsung and go make me a sandwich.. I mean WP
  • The Samsung may have split personality.
    The 1 who complaint is Head of Android Phone department... :P
  • They could have done the same competition with the Focus, then what would Samsung have to say. Maybe they should be working on some new WPs instead of getting butthurt.
  • Please don't use "literally" if that's not what you mean. . . .
    And yes, I agree with what everyone is saying