Anyhow - in case you might be interested here’s some of the things I’ve been working on lately.

Sports Tracker

Working on the marketing strategy for Sports Tracker as well as developing the service and the apps, launching apps for iPhone, Android, Nokia N9 and Windows Phone, blogging, setting up online support communities, building partnerships, working with media…keeping very busy with a bunch of fantastic guys and now also one gal!

This has been my main focus lately and will be going forward. Great app - fun times :)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g3vQw85gmk

Music videos

This is one of the reasons I left the agency world behind - to have more time to work with things I’m passionate about - like music.

I worked as the producer on these videos for the lovely and talented Kristiina Wheeler. I also edited and did all the post production. Both videos were directed by the amazing Cristal Snow.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF1oFGl9jJE

www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7-1QcTRyS8

Viking Line NB1376

Working with Flatlight Films and Fellowland on the online strategy for promoting the world’s most environmental ferry: The Viking Line NB1376. We got the whole team that’s working on building the ferry to blog about different aspects of the project: Design, environment, technology and the experience. Check out the naming competition and suggest a name for this revolutionary ferry :)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBBHwRJd4Gc

Other stuff…

Then there’s obviously Petri and numerous projects and stuff that is not out yet in the public eye or will never be. All in all it’s been a busy and fun year. Freelancing rocks :)

more...

Rovio is rockin’ the globe with Angry Birds and RedLynx is making some serious waves as well. Supercell scored 12M$ in funding from Accel Partners to develop their ground-braking browser-based MMORPG Gunshine.net. Not to mention Remedy and Housemarque. Finnish gaming is booming and I for one am loving it. Well done guys & gals!

This got me thinking. Why is this happening now? How come there is so much game development talent in Finland especially in mobile gaming?

Could it be that we owe a big thank you to the most ridiculed gaming venture that’s ever come out of Finland: The Nokia N-Gage? The ill-fated platform whose life-support Nokia quietly unplugged a few months back.

It is an undeniable fact that Nokias’ trip to gaming was a huge psychedelic failure from the start. Anyone and your neighbors kid could have told the Nokia management (if they would have listened) that the sidetalkin’ take the battery out to switch games joke of a gaming phone would never fly. And I should know. I worked as the guy with the world’s most daunting task – run digital marketing for N-Gage globally. It was like climbing Everest naked. Well maybe not quite but tricky still.

That said I do think that while failing to get us gaming on those weird phones Nokia did an enormous favor to the Finnish and Global Mobile Gaming industry. During the N-Gage years Nokia published some amazing ground-braking mobile games that paved way for a lot of the innovation and gameplay we now see on iOS, Android and other mobile platforms: Pathway to Glory (first ever mobile multiplayer over GPRS-networks – by Red Lynx), High Seize (by RedLynx), Bounce (the grandfather of Angry Birds by Rovio), Asphalt (born on the N-Gage – still racing on iOS and Android by Gameloft), ONE (by Digital Legends) and Pocket Kingdom (One of the first Online MMORPG games on a mobile phone – by Nokia) just to name a few.

Have it not been for N-Gage (and essentially Nokias’ big bucks) these amazing games would not have seen the light of day and as a result Finnish game developers would not be where they are today.

So raise a glass and give thanks to where thanks are due. Rest in peace N-Gage and thanks for all the good times. I for one am a much better climber though nowadays I do tend to equip myself with the proper gear and choose my quests a bit more carefully.

more...

I also worked on the site concept & visuals for both the game site and their corporate site. And a bit on the trailer you can see below. And on setting up their community management processes. Quite a lot actually now that I think about it. But that happens when you are having fun :)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbn0XFUnnfY

more...

One thing bugs me though.

I like the simplicity of the BranchOut sign-up process and the way you have your profile set up in a matter of minutes. All great – exactly the way I want it. But then I start hitting the well hidden social landmines.

Before I even realize it I’ve spammed most of my friends Facebook walls with invites. Ok…hold on a sec – I want to connect with these guys but not like this.

Don’t get me wrong I’m all for integrating your service with Facebook but this is to me a clear example of an execution that crosses the “from viral to spam” line.

I’m sure BranchOut got a lot of buzz and new users by creating the spam attack most of us were subjected to when they launched but at the same time I’m willing to bet they lost of lot of potential users and harmed their brand by doing it. I for one (and I know I’m not alone) blocked the application from posting to my Wall – and thus am effectively not getting ANY networking requests from my friends that use the service. For me BranchOut is no longer an option.

In my opinion the same effect could have been achieved with direct user-to-user messages on Facebook. It may not have caused such a “bang” for launch but would have created a more sustained viral effect (and would not have shut anyone out in the process) and also kept the brand / service from getting the “annoying spammer” classification.

All in all the lesson here is this: Tread carefully when integrating your service to Facebook. The line between clever viral expansion and spam is crucial to spot and not to cross.

How to do it? It is simple really (if you just take your “marketer” hat off for a sec): Don’t exploit your users, respect their privacy and create a killer service that they want to share out of their free will. Just think how you would react when your service starts to spam your wall / inbox…and don’t piss off yourself.

more...

So all I’m asking is check the trailer and please do think before you eat. I know it does not seem easy but I guarantee you it’s easier than you think and the reward is so very tangible. And yeah please spread the word by forwarding the link.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7ijukNzlUg

p.s. By eating more veggies you not only save yourself but you are also helping save the planet. Which is kinda good too.

more...

1. The IP owners take too big a cut from the profits.

2. That leads to a smaller budget = worse game.

3. Timelines are also usually too tight = bad game.

= No sales. No point in making movie-based games.

To me it just seems weird that they are giving up instead of taking a step back and re-inventing the whole model. After all no one can deny that movies loved by millions do make a great base for a game.

I think it’s just how you approach the whole thing.

The classic model (that fails according to EA) is to take a movie and try to repeat the storyline and the experience in a game. To me that is mistake #1. I believe that what moviegoers want is to experience more – not the same. I’ve seen the movie – now give me a new adventure in that same “universe” that I’ve fallen in love with. Let me explore that world and make it my own.

There are a few great examples in which this different approach has been applied and it has worked. Remember the excellent Chronicles of Riddick -games that explored subplots in the movie and actually explained the past of the main character. Unfortunately these examples are too few and too far between. Instead the EA’s of the world churn out mediocre game-fluff like the pathetic Harry Potter games. I mean that is just sad. How can you not make a great game based on the Potter Universe?? I would give my left arm for a Harry Potter sandbox/RPG-game. Think GTA + Red Dead Redemption + Mass Effect in the world of the world’s favorite wizard. And no – I don’t even necessarily need to play as Harry. I just want more adventures in his world.

I’m not saying EA and the gaming industry are solely to blame for this. It’s apparent that the studios and IP owners don’t understand gaming and the opportunity games represent as a platform to elevate their IP’s to a new level in the minds of the fans. I’m sure more often than not the bad decisions come from the Studios. They see games as a part of marketing and capitalizing on the movie and not as a longer term investment into engaging with their audience and in the best case building a new revenue model that might even surpass the profits made from one or two movies.

To his credit (even though I’ll never forgive him for ruining the prequels with Jar Jar and…well the list is tooo long) George Lucas and LucasArts have applied this model for a while now. They have not always succeeded but they have also produced some classic games…X-Wing anyone? And obviously the fantastic Knights of the Old Republic -games. At least they get it and want to use this amazing new medium to offer their fans new experiences in a their beloved galaxy far far away.

So I would not give up on the movie games Mr. Gibeau. Just take the advice of a very very old and wise green man: “Unlearn what you have learned”. And then start again.

more...

1. What’s with the front page?

When I grab my fresh copy of Helsingin Sanomat I don’t get the slightest urge to open it and see what todays stories are. But when I see their biggest local rival Aamulehti I read the cover and usually dig in and end up spending time reading at least a few articles.

Why? The reason is simple and pretty self-evident. The question is – which is more imporant in the long run: advertisers or readers?

Netizens want to quickly browse and decide if a piece of content is worth their time and ads just are not interesting. At all. Period. And if you lose your readers…well you can figure it out yourself.

2. Fix the size

I won’t buy a bigger table just to be able to read news and have breakfast at the same time. Come on – get with the global trend and downsize. Now. Or I’ll keep on reading my news on my iPad while sipping my morning cup of joe.

This is a freebie also for Alma Media. You both have to get this sorted.

more...

Anyhow - this is a video we created for Kristiina Wheeler’s new single “Kiitos kun muistit”. It’s shot entirely by Kristiina using the new Nokia N8 HD mobile. The N8 shoots 720p video with it’s stunning 12Mp Carl Zeiss lens and was the perfect choice considering the concept of the video - Kristiina’s “YouTube” message to her boyfriend :)

The video features a cameo by Jussi Vatanen who plays the lead role in Napapiirin Sankarit. This was done to tie the video in to the movie in a smooth and not so obvious way as Kristiina’s track is featured on the soundtrack of the movie…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q79EW7oS0wc

Original concept / script: Kristiina Wheeler, Jussi Solja, Heikki Häkkinen
Directed by: Heikki Häkkinen, Jussi Solja
Edited by: Joni Luomanen / Onkiwood Studios, Jussi Solja, Kristiina Wheeler
Cinematography: Kristiina Wheeler, Joni Luomanen, Heikki Häkkinen
Make-up: Mira Aalto
Graphics: Jari Salo
Thanks: Jussi Vatanen, Jussi Jaakkola

more...

Hope u like. We had a blast making it :)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MevnblrgqB4

The single features a remix of the track by Mokoma and since we are targeting two pretty different audiences (hiphop & metal fans) we uploaded two versions of the video: Original “hiphop” version to Petri’s Channel and the more metallish version to Mokoma’s Channel.

I came up with the original concept, wrote the script with Petri, directed with Heikki Häkkinen and also did all the After Effects post production. The rest of the crew goes as follows:

Editing: Joni Luomanen, Heikki Häkkinen, Jussi Solja
Cinematography: Joni Luomanen / Onkiwood Studios
Still photography: Julius Konttinen
Nygård art: T-Money
Playback / on-location sound: Aki Anttila
Lights: Riku Hasari
Pyrotechnics: Teppo Hakkarainen, Marko Hakkarainen / Pyroman
Bodypaint & additional graphics: Tarmo Kaikkonen / TareBrush
Thanks: Mokoma, Jani Kananen, Henri Wheeler, Olli Ruusumaa / Skanska

more...

I know they’ve been around for seems like ages in Internet Time and that they have not really released anything spectacular since the mobile apps and the Facebook integration but what they are doing (at least if you take their, or better yet Jonathan’s, word for it) is showing the music industry that there actually is money to be made using their freemium model. Not just for Spotify and the labels but also for the artists.

In case you don’t pay attention to music industry news there has been a “bit” of a backlash from the artists towards Spotify. When they first launched pretty much everyone screamed to get on board (both users and artists) but when the first royalties were paid quite a few artists (Lady Gaga being the most famous globally, Mokoma here in Finland) were shocked to find out that even if their songs had been played hundreds of thousands or millions of times on the new service their share of the revenue was in the tens or hundreds of euros (or dollars in Gaga’s case). Not good. Not good at all.

So what’s the beef? Why am I writing this? Read on, dear friends…

Jonathan from Spotify (LOL) shared some of their latest data at the Musiikki & Media festival/event in Tampere, Finland a few weeks back. Among the not so surprising curves of exponential growth there were some facts & figures that caught my interest and hopefully the interest of a lot of the doubters as well.

Consider this, naysayers:

1. Growing pains the reason for the ridiculously small royalties

Spotify is giving 70% of their revenues back to labels and artists. During the first 6months / year (the time period from which the first royalties were paid) they had 1 million users. Now they have 10 million users and have credited more that 30 million euros back to the labels and artists. They also are the most important source of digital sales revenue for most major labels in Sweden – the country where they are from and were they have the most users.

I also had the chance to chat with Kimmo Laiho (or Elastinen) from the Finnish label Rähinä Records. He supported Jonathan’s figures by stating that their artists are actually seeing real, substantial revenue from Spotify plays already now.

Sounds better, right?

2. 6% of the listening on Spotify is TOP50 and 94% is catalogue

This means Spotify is being used MAINLY to find new music. It’s a discovery engine geared for mining the long tail. Should be good for anyone making music. Well maybe not Metallica. But honestly – why should they care anymore in their private jets. Stop whining.

3. Fighting piracy. And having a real impact.

Spotify users have pretty much totally stopped pirating music (according to 3rd party research). This has to be good for anyone in the music biz. No denying that. They’ve actually done more than any government or other anti-piracy scheme. Give the people an easier and simpler way to get what they want and they’ll go for it. And in the process slowly try and teach people that they should actually start paying for their music again. It’s a tricky job but Spotify is already doing it. Respect.

4. Helping artists understand their audience and make more money

One of the most interesting things Jonathan revealed was the statistics interface that Spotify will be opening more to the artists in the future. Basically Spotify knows where and who your listeners are and when they listen to you. That information is invaluable in a world where artists have to turn to other means of revenue than album sales for their livelihood. Just as an example imagine how that data can impact gig sales…

5. The Freemium Model works

Spotify has seen that the longer you use the service as “free” or ad-paid the more likely you will be hooked and will convert to a Premium paying member. Again: Teaching people to pay for music. This is good for the labels and artists and also an interesting bit of data for anyone who is building a cloud-based service and is wondering what revenue model to go for.

So…the beef? Or my beef at least :)

My point with all this (being the unrelenting optimist I am) is to try and convince the doubters within the music industry that we have NO CHOICE but to embrace the likes of Spotify as the way of the new wild wild west – their model IS our best shot at fighting piracy and making money off of the music we so love. Only then can we free ourselves to focus on finding new revenue streams that will make it possible for artists to make music that their fans don’t realize they have to pay for (Ironic isn’t it).

So stop whining and fighting a battle you can not win. Embrace the change and follow Spotify’s lead by focusing your energy on something that will make a real difference.

p.s. Check out Jonathan’s presentation below for more details!

more...