How Nikon used online reviews to take on the competition with the smartphone industry

A case study on the Nikon Coolpix compact camera

The Nikon Coolpix challenge

Imagine being an established brand in the photography industry, making cameras for more than one hundred years. What would you do if people started using their smartphone to take everyday pictures?

Nikon took on the competition with the smartphone and designed Coolpix, a compact camera range that makes it easy for consumers to take stunning pictures and share them with others. Just like the smartphone, it fits right into your pocket, which makes it easy to take with you on the go. Now, all Nikon wanted was 90 authentic user stories from average consumers to spread the word….

3

SKU

125+

Authentic Online reviews

147

Average Word Count

Why did Nikon need authentic reviews?

“We wanted the introduction of our 3 new Coolpix models to be a huge success, and so we asked Stars and Stories to help us collect reviews as fast as possible on the websites of our primary partners.”

“WE ARE IMPRESSED BY THE AMOUNT OF REVIEWS, THEIR QUALITY AND HOW FAST STARS AND STORIES MANAGED TO ACHIEVE ALL THIS.”

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René Dijk
Senior Manager Marketing and Communications
Nikon

The Stars and Stories solution

We needed personal stories and technical analyses on the retailer websites that were most important to Nikon. The reviews had to showcase the ability of the Coolpix camera to capture life’s moments at any given time, as well as the product’s high quality. We found people who were seeking an alternative to their smartphone camera, creative semi-professionals that prefer lots of zoom power and compactness, and hobby photographers who found their DSLR camera too bulky to carry around. They tested the Coolpix camera for four weeks.

The campaign results

More than 125 online reviews were posted in four weeks time on bol.com, Coolblue and Kieskeurig, 3 of the most important Dutch online retailers to Nikon. The reviews contained both technical analyses as well as personal stories, and counted an average of 147 words (opposed to the previous average of 70). The reviews kick-started the online market introduction of Coolpix and managed to explain the biggest features of the camera through the eyes of everyday people.

REVIEW EXAMPLE

“ESPECIALLY HAPPY ABOUT THE 60X OPTICAL ZOOM THAT HELPS YOU MAKE CLEAR AND SHARP PICTURES”

Joris_GH_83

I’ve used the P610 for a couple of weeks now and so far I’m very content about it. Especially about the 60x optical zoom, that helps you make very clear and sharp pictures. I also appreciate the camera using an ocular view as well as a flexible LCD-screen, which enables me to make pictures from every angle. The camera is easy to hold, not too heavy, especially compared to my dSLR camera. Another cool feature is that you can share the pictures with your smartphone while using wifi. Although my phone seemed to be unable to make connection (Samsung GT-19300), my wife’s LG phone did. With this wifi connection it’s also possible to use your phone as a remote control for the camera which enables you to take pictures without actually pressing the button. Long story short: a great camera.