Nokia sets up creative wing in bid to become most loved

Nokia is setting up a “creative excellence” division in a bid to become the “most loved and admired, iconic brand” in the world.

The Finnish mobile phone giant has promoted Carol Soriano, marketing director for its multimedia unit, to head the new division. It is thought that she will report to new global marketing chief Pekka Rantala and work closely with the company’s lead advertising agency Wieden & Kennedy.

Nokia, which wants to shed its dependable, but uninspiring image, follows several other leading brands in setting up a division dedicated to creative excellence.

A similar department within Coca-Cola’s marketing team was headed by Esther Lee, who had the title of worldwide chief creative officer until she left to join Euro RSCG earlier this year.

The creation of Nokia’s new division is part of a wider realignment that will see the company restructured into three new units – devices; services and software; and markets – from the start of next year.

The devices department will focus on making handsets, while services and software will develop consumer internet products, and markets will handle supply chain, sales and marketing.

Nokia’s previous marketing chief Jo Harlow – who ran the £175m global advertising pitch that saw W&K appointed as the company’s lead creative agency in July – told Marketing Week that W&K had been hired to make Nokia the “most loved and admired iconic brand” (MW July 12).