What does a make-believe java-brewing, leg-shaving cellphone have to do with Nova Scotia? It’s apparently all in the Pomegranate.
Yesterday, the Nova Scotia government launched a new $300,000 viral marketing campaign aimed at changing tech-savvy expats’ perceptions about their home province.
Launched on the Net and the streets of Boston, Ottawa, Toronto and Calgary yesterday, the promotion is about a new, made-up fructiferous phone: The Pomegranate. It mocks the latest all-in-one smart phone gadgetry with abilities to brew coffee, shave your legs, double as a harmonica and do power point presentations and GPS navigation.
What does this all have to do with Nova Scotia?
“People are entertained and they want to find out who’s behind this,” said Stacey Jones-Oxner, Nova Scotia Come to Life spokeswoman.
When viewers decide they’re finished exploring, they find a plethora of people championing the glories and success stories of Nova Scotia.
And the pomegranate? The trendy fruit touted for its health benefits makes the ad almost seem believable and hooks people in, said Jones-Oxner.
“The message is ‘Well right now you can’t get everything you want, like a shaver, in a smart phone, but you can get everything you want in one place and that place is Nova Scotia,” she said.
“We want to get business people and others looking at us as a place to invest, work, live and do business.”
Jones-Oxner says the tool won’t keep track of who comes back, but will give people information about Nova Scotia so they can make informed decisions.
To check out the campaign, visit www.pomegranatephone.com.
