NOKIA READIES TWO TEXT MESSAGE CONTESTS
By Adnews Staff
Nokia Canada of Toronto will hold a contest called "Sno Hunt" as part of its sponsorship of The Fédération Internationale de Ski 2005 Snowboard World Championships in Whistler, BC. Six contestants will be flown to Whistler to participate in a text-message based scavenger hunt for a prize of $10,000. Canadian snowboarder Jasey-Jay Anderson will send a series messages to the contestants by cell phone giving them instructions which will eventually lead to his own location. The first player to find him will win. The contest was designed The Hive Strategic Marketing. The contestants must win their entry into the final hunt through one of five preliminary contests held by MuchMusic, MusiquePlus, Mix 96 in Montreal, 102.1 The Edge in Toronto and CFOX in Vancouver, or through a national SMS contest run by Nokia. "The FIS Snowboard World Championships is a great strategic fit for Nokia because it really reaches the Active Lifestyle and Youth Demographic, who are core to the Nokia brand," said Grace Belmonte, director of marketing for Nokia Canada. The FIS World Championships will take place from Jan. 15 to 23.
In related news, Nokia will conduct another text message contest in association with Rogers from Nov. 25 to Jan. 9. This initiative, called "Titans of Text," will take place at 70 Famous Players theatres and 10 college campuses in the Greater Toronto Area. Contestants will compete with a Nokia representative to see who can send a text message of a famous movie quote in less time. The contest will promote the Nokia 6820 cell phone, which has a fold-out keyboard designed for text messages. Players who win the race will receive a T-shirt and entry into a draw for one of ten 6820 phones. In addition, Rogers will distribute 20,000 coupons for discounts on the purchase of a 6820 to people who visit the contest locations.