This is Why I Love @Nokia, Also Why Samsung Sucks

Ok, so the following story isn’t strictly Nokia related, but it’s well worth a read; especially considering how it involves our good friend Clinton Jeff, from unleashthephones (who’s my official “blogger buddy”). As you guys might be aware, sometimes for big events like MWC, IFA, CES etc. Tech companies offer to fly in some bloggers on their dime so they can help provide coverage to the reveals of the event, as you’ll read very clearly in the story they can’t really FORCE you to work for them if you don’t agree on it, and most companies have the common sense and courtesy not to ask you to.

Since CJ’s story is a bit longer, let me start with mine story-last February, back at MWC Nokia offered to fly some of the MNB team all the way to Spain to cover the events going down there, I went as both Michael and Jay were busy with school or other business. Without going into too much detail while there Nokia took care of EVERYTHING from Plane tickets (booked with dates convenient to us) to taxis, food (at fancy restaurants, none of that fast food stuff),  to hotels and actual walks in the park so we could see the sites, just so we could have a good time. What did they ask in return? Nothing, in return we preformed our duties as  journalists and covered whatever we felt like covering (keep in mind other non-Nokia blogs were there such as Smashpop, SamJPullen, WPCentral), never did they tell us what to focus on or what to ignore, they gave us free reign to do whatever we wanted and cover whatever we wanted (such as entering the 808 against the Lumia in the smoked challenge). While on the showgrounds the staff who were with us (Shout-out to Tom, Katie, Meg, Alex and Elina!) encouraged us to walk around and take a look at the other booths, and generally have a good time (texting us to let us know when there was something interesting going down at the Nokia booth, such as a prize giveaway).

While there they didn’t ask us to wear any sort of uniform that specified that we were from Nokia, not even a name tag; and after the keynote of the first day they told us we were free to do whatever we want (and even go back home).

Name tag we walked around with, no-where does it say Nokia (except the blogs name); I personally switched out the ZTE sponsored Lanyards for a free Nokia one

Now with that pleasant experience in mind read how Samsung literally screwed CJ and a couple other bloggers over, making them choose between being “Booth babes” (CJ’s words) or being stranded in Berlin without plane tickets or a hotel room.

“We got a call from Samsung India saying ‘You can either be a part of this and wear the uniform, or you’ll have to get your own tickets back home and handle your hotel stay from the moment this call ends…

A few minutes later, we got a call from the Samsung India guy who said that our flights on the 6th have been cancelled, and that they’re bringing us back on the 1st instead. But this is only if, and only if, we agreed to wear atleast the samsung branded shirt at the unpacked event, and not blog about any of this incident.

“None of this should leave Berlin. Or Reach India” – Clinton Jeff

Read the full detailed account of  the disgusting event here: http://thenextweb.com/insider/2012/09/02/heres-samsung-flew-bloggers-halfway-around-world-threatened-leave/

While typing this post CJ tweeted:

So Nokia who have virtually no presence in IFA, helped out a stranded blogger who was there covering another companies events, as well as his friend who they never met before. THIS is what makes us love Nokia, they aren’t some faceless corporate company, they can be loved; because they let us love them. We might not be going to Nokia World in New York this year, but at least I know that if I went I’d have a plane ticket back no matter what I chose to blog or tweet about their event.

(Check out Unleashthephones.com later for more details about how Nokia helped CJ out).

Category: Nokia