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Everyone knows that a quick way for a new gadget to build anticipation and buzz is to get the blogs talking about the upcoming release. Everyone also knows that a good way to get the blogs talking about a device is to provide them with lots of info and/or loaner review models to play with. The very best way of doing that, for the largest players in the industry, is to throw a conference, send out a limited number of invites to make the bloggers feel special, pile on the free food and the cocktail mixers then give them each the new device and some other swag for their trouble. Just all an average day for a marketing budget.

Nokia decided to try a new tactic regarding building up enthusiasm for their upcoming N900 MID/Phone running Maemo. They created a fancy conference called The Maemo Summit and held it in beautiful and oh so European Amsterdam. Then they gave each participant a pre production model of the N900….that they have to return in six months (see photo above).

HUH?

Try not to even think of the logistics of ensuring all 300 devices come back properly. Think instead of all the scathing press and mockery Nokia will generate once they have to start sending out email reminders to bloggers to return the damn things (and they WILL have to send out reminders…lots of them).

“Dear Blogging Deadbeat. Your N900 is two weeks overdue, ya bum. Send it back to us now or BOY are we gonna sic the Finnish speaking lawyers on you…and sled dogs. RABID sled dogs.”

Nokia, please tell me that by “One for each summit participant for 6 months” you mean that after six months you will replace their pre production models with a bright shiny release edition N900. I think Maemo looks slick and the N900 looks like a fine device…please don’t spike it early with bad marketing choices.

Please?

(Source: IntoMobile, Photo by Mark Guim from The Nokia Blog)