YouGov CEO Stephan Shakespeare considers public perception of mobile phone manufacturer Nokia and predicts trouble ahead
Back in November I wrote of the difficulties that Nokia faced and the importance of the launch of the Nokia Lumia 800.
At that point, Nokia had seen a rise in the buzz score on YouGov’s BrandIndex but that was already starting to fade, and the launch had had no impact on overall brand perception as measured by the Index score (an composite of six key image measures).
At the time, I said that Nokia would need to do a lot more, but the intervening six months have not bought good news for the Finnish mobile phone brand.
The Index chart shows instantly the problems that Nokia faced.
Since May 2010 its Index score had fallen from the low 40s to the low 30s. Though it then stabilised, the decrease has picked up again since, putting the brand on just +26.
Contrast this with rival Samsung, which two years ago trailed Nokia by 12 points but overtook it in the Autumn of 2011.
Following a further boost in the wake of the Galaxy III launch earlier this month, Samsung’s score is now +37, the best it has ever achieved and a full nine points ahead of Nokia.
Buzz shows a similar story, with the boost that Nokia had received in November quickly petering out.
Following problems with the Lumia 900 in the US and warnings of first and second quarter losses, Nokia now has a negative Buzz score for the first time in BrandIndex history.
Samsung, on the other hand, continues to go from strength to strength and is on its highest ever score of +21.
The launch of the Lumia 800 has not improved perceptions of Nokia, or even helped it stem the decline. Unless it can find a way of turning things around, troubling times lie ahead.
