Nokia N96 and Bruce Lee

CHINA – When Nokia China wanted to launch the N96 it went for none other than Bruce Lee. The kicker for this is a YouTube video viral of Bruce Lee battling two opponents at the table tennis table, and winning! Released late last year, isn’t the kind of battle we might normally associate with Bruce Lee, it is an actual game of table tennis, but that doesn’t make it any less fascinating. Check it out after the jump.

One of my favourite ever viral videos is the one of the man inside the phone, produced by Nokia last year. Perhaps it just appeals to my sense of humour, but I do think it’s great. It throws light on the device’s different attributes in a totally different way. I also quite like this quirky little one for Sports Tracker.

The Bruce Lee video is a little bit of a puzzler though. My utter lack of ability to read or understand the Chinese language puts me at a bit of a loss as to what the association is, but that hasn’t stopped me thinking about.

If I were an art critic, looking for the video’s symbiotic relationship with the device I might draw the parallel that Lee is in a position we wouldn’t normally expect to find him, yet he excels, by using his own tools (in this case, nun chucks). Equally, we might view the N96 in a similar capacity, giving its ability to adapt to the needs of its user whether they want to watch a video, find somewhere on a map, take a picture, or even make a call. In all instances, the N96 excels.

Stepping back from the minutiae though, there’s another question that I have. That of brands, including Nokia, using what I would deem editorial to highlight and promote its products. It’s a common sight nowadays and I think much more effective than say, traditional TV advertising. I’ll remember, and pass on the Bruce Lee video because I think it’s worth watching. It was the same with Cadbury’s excellent Glass and a Half Full Production last year using a Gorilla. Pure genius.

Are such videos relevant, and what purpose do they serve? Your thoughts, please.

Oh, and, the speculation since this was released has been rife as to whether or not the video is real, faked using CGI or faked using a Bruce Lee impersonator. We don’t know either, but we’ll endeavor to find out.

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Tags | Bruce Lee, N96, Nokia