08 August 2008

Work Club Unveils Debut Nokia Maps Campaign

Work Club – the start-up creative agency that combines top level talent from Agency Republic and Mother – has created a digital campaign for Nokia Maps based on 'Lost Characters'.

The campaign was directed by Richard Ayoade (The I.T. Crowd, The Mighty Boosh) and comprises five online films plus a 'how to' website.

Nokia Maps is a key new service, the equivalent to mobile sat nav, that helps users find nearby venues and friends. Offering A-GPS (assisted GPS) technology and free downloadable maps of over 150 countries, this type of service is seen as the next big opportunity in mobile.

Therefore, in order to help Nokia own this territory upfront, Work Club developed a strategy that was all about demystifying the technology and helping consumers understand the real benefits behind the service.

Work Club responded by creating five online films that very simply communicate the benefits of Nokia Maps whilst being true to the brand's warm, friendly and human tone and its 'Connecting People' positioning.

Each film features Lost Characters hooking-up with Nokia Personal Navigators who act as metaphors for the product. Using Nokia's strapline of 'Connecting People', these Personal Navigators help the Lost Characters connect to restaurants, bars and friends.

The Lost Characters are incredibly memorable: the Goth who needs to find his friend and a local place of interest (a graveyard); the blue alien as a tourist who wants to find the pub his alien mate recommended; the chicken who's lost in a bad part of town looking for the chicken restaurant; the pirates who are lost in a rental car looking for where X marks the spot; and the Pac Man who uses Sports Tracker to monitor his training performance and share his route with ghost 'friends'.

The films were directed by comedian/actor/director Richard Ayoade who, in addition to acting in cult comedy hits like The IT Crowd, Nathan Barley and The Mighty Boosh, has recently shot promos for The Arctic Monkeys, Vampire Weekend and The Last Shadow Puppets. The films were shot on Super 8 film to create a warm nostalgic feel which is enhanced with the We'll Meet Again soundtrack. The films have been crafted with high production values to ensure they stand-out in the online space.

A 'how to' website has also been created as educational support. The site explains how to use Nokia Maps through an interactive film that features a Personal Navigator on a journey. HHe explains how to use the maps, how much they cost and how to install them. This core film is further supported by four separate interactive sub-films (Run, Cycle, Walk and Drive) which specifically show how to use Sports Tracker (a training performance monitoring service), for running and cycling; and how to use the service as voice-guided sat nav in the car. These films were shot by Joy@RSA and Austen Humphries at Rattling Stick.

Work Club's creative partner, Ben Mooge, said: "The Lost Characters are a simple, engaging demonstration of the technology. We're really proud of them. Richard Ayoade is an incredibly smart guy. It really feels like he's going to be a big director."