<div>Short passes and constant movement of the ball – that’s Tiki Taka for you, a style of play associated with Spanish football giant FC Barcelona.<br /><br />Now, Finnish cell phone giant Nokia is making its own football moves with its new Tiki Taka campaign that rides on the Spanish football club’s game strategy. <br /><br />With this, Nokia has become the first brand to enter into a sponsoring alliance with FC Barcelona in India.<br /><br />The campaign was launched in India this week by D. Shivkumar, senior V-P for Nokia India Middle East and Africa and Antoni Rossich, CEO of FC Barcelona. The campaign will see Nokia engaging football fans online through social media, augmented reality, and on ground through retail activities and contests. Following this, 11 lucky winners will get the opportunity to fly off to the historical grounds of Camp Nou in Spain. That will be in May 2013, towards the end of La Liga.<br /><br />Nokia is also working on an app for FC Barcelona supporters that will be available on its Lumia phones exclusively.<br /><br />Even as Nokia’s tech moves have come in for some questioning, its sporting associations have paid off for the brand, albeit a bit slowly. Five years ago, it became the official founding sponsor of Kolkata Knight Riders during the inception of the IPL. Despite the dream combination of a prestigious brand, superstar owners, and top notch players, the team struggled to make a mark in the IPL. However, last season’s win changed things. “In terms of the IPL brand rating, Nokia figures in the top 3, so this partnership has done very well for us,” says Shivkumar. He describes a campaign by Nokia that got a million fans to wish the team luck. “It has helped build brand Nokia, by reaching out to the passionate cricket supporters in the country,” says Shivkumar, adding that “Passion in its purest form is found in sports.” <br /><br />This explains why Nokia is betting on football now. Shivkumar claims that in terms of viewership, football comes second only after cricket. However, the football viewership is primarily focused on international football. “Unlike cricket, football will grow from top to bottom,” says Shivkumar. In a country where football is not developed from grassroots level, this seems like an alternative way to promote the sport.<br /><br />For FC Barcelona, which is looking to expand its footprint into India, the association with Nokia paves the way for an easier entry as the campaign will create brand awareness for the club. Nokia will be the official mobile device for FC Barcelona in India and all the marketing promotions for the Spanish club in the country will be done jointly with Nokia.<br /><br />Antoni Rossich, CEO of Barcelona FC, believes that India has immense sporting potential and is optimistic of the future of football within the country. “Twenty years ago there was no interest in football in this country but now things have changed. People recognise clubs like Barcelona FC here, now. ” <br /><br />The Spanish club is here to prove its motto of “mes que un club” (more than a club). The club has announced its plans to set up a football school in the capital, following the footsteps of other football bigwigs like Liverpool FC and Manchester United. The FC Barcelona football school would serve the dual purpose of promoting the club in India, while giving young Indian footballers the opportunity to be associated with a globally recognised brand. <br /><br />Although the Tiki Taka campaign is only for six months, Shivkumar says that like all Nokia’s associations, the one with the Spanish club is long term. Will its new tango act pay off?<br /> </div>
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