gro & nokia
We have been working in close collaboration with Nokia design on projects for production as well as strategic design exercises since 2003.
Seeking to attract young consumers, Nokia introduced XpressMusic, an exciting new line of affordable, music-centred phones in 2006.
For the Xpress music phone range it was important to create a bold design language that would appeal to a young target audience.
Music and fashion are both important to youth in expressing their identity. It was essential that this range of music phones stood out from the crowd.
The concept challenged Nokia to place the brand name vertically to further enhance the refreshing design signature.
Dedicated side-mounted music player keys promote the XpressMusic phone as a music-centred solution. A rubberized band surrounds the product and frames the screen, providing seamless integration of music keys and a reassuring grip.
Early sketches of the concept already captured the iconic red band that wraps around the product and divides it into a functional grid.
Camera and volume keys are also integrated into the red band.
The 5700 ‘twister’ followed the introduction of the 5300 ‘slide’ in 2007.
By twisting the lower section 180º the phone switches from a standard keypad to a music player with dedicated music keys.
The twisting of the phone allowed for convenient hands-free video conferencing; anticipating the demand for enhanced social networking tools.
GRO’s iconic designs for the 5300 and 5700 helped the new music phones stand out from the crowd and contributed to the successful positioning and promotion of the range.
Marketing and communication for the Xpress music range was extensive (seen here on the back of a London bus).
The design language was highly appreciated by the target audience as well as being highly successful in creating a distinctive market position for Nokia in the music phone category. This design identity has been evolved by Nokia for more recent ranges of music phones.
