Nokia’s artsy ad bashes iPhone 5’s lack of color selection

Nokia has rolled out an artsy and entertaining television commercial that derides the iPhone 5 for its limited color options, implying that the Apple smartphone is boring and those who buy it are lemmings.

The Finnish company posted the animated ad “Time to Switch” on YouTube on Tuesday. The ad opens with a scene of people waiting in line to buy an iPhone 5 in a dark and boring world as gloomy music plays. But that all changes when one user asks the store clerk for color.

The request sparks alarm and panic, and the unique consumer is outcast by the rest of the people waiting in line. Fortunately for him, just a few moments later colorful individuals walk by as upbeat music starts to play. The camera zooms out to show the world filling up with color and then pans up to reveal a yellow Lumia 920 and the words, “This is Lumia.”

Nokia revealed the Lumia 920 and it’s lower-end counterpart, the Lumia 820, last month. The phone has received favorable reviews and will be available in five colors, but Nokia has not announced a release date or prices. The iPhone 5 comes in black or white.

Nokia isn’t the only company taking shots at Apple.

Samsung has also been running commercials poking fun at Apple devotees waiting in line for the iPhone 5.

As for Nokia’s ad, it ironically evokes a commercial Apple ran back in the ‘80s promoting its Macintosh Office titled “Lemmings.”

The ad was a sequel to Apple’s legendary “1984” ad, but “Lemmings” was considered a flop. In the commercial, dark-suited, blindfolded corporate managers -- who presumably purchase IBM PCs -- march in line to the edge of a cliff and then step off to their deaths.

Nokia’s version isn’t so grim. It has a happy ending with the scene that starts in staid gray, then turns colorful with customers rejoicing with their new Lumia phones.

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