Using our trusty randomizer web application, we figured out the winner in less than 30 seconds. As agreed in the terms and conditions of the Nokia DiscOVIries competition, the eight previous winners of our two month contest will duke it out in a battle of complete randomness to win a Nokia 2330 Classic phone.

And, our winner, based on the stars, is Lowell Aguirre!

I’d like to thank everyone who joined this series of contests in the past two months. By far this is the biggest mainstream campaign a local company ever invested in with bloggers. Glad to have been a part of it.

But more importantly, a little sincere word on Ovi — from what I’ve seen there has definitely been a big increase in sign ups for the service. Yay, that’s good. But as I’ve said before, this is one of those things that has work successfully in other countries simply because there isn’t much .. ‘conformity’ when it comes to the red tape of public utility (AKA telco services). In the Singapore version of Ovi, the portal gives away unlimited free music for one year every time you buy a new Nokia phone. Difficult here because of licensing issues. In Singapore, software companies have taken advantage of the Maps platform to build really good subscription-based services such as public transportation schedules, routes, locations of diners, etc. Difficult here because too many companies are reinventing the wheel and there isn’t a huge effort to know how important software technology is. Why? Well, the Philippines is “events based.” So many events. So many society pages. So little relevant conversation. And if so, it’s about the same thing (look at the “off topic” or “anything goes” forums in any online group to prove my point). Moving on.

If there’s one thing I’ve observed from the DiscOVIries campaign, it’s this — and this may come as a surprise — as what i observed had nothing to do with Nokia’s campaign per se: when it comes to bringing in the “new” many agencies don’t look at numbers. They look at what their direct and ambient competitors are doing. So when someone executes a really great idea, it waits to get copied. Ironically, there’s a similar article here, but on the gaming industry. Friends have told me that they’ve seen the print ads and videos not just in the movie theaters and papers and television. But as agency pegs from competitor brands. Wow. Interesting.

There are barely any more innovators. And where they exist, they don’t have the financial capacity to drown out the noise of mainstream trends.

Behind the scenes photos after the jump.

behind the scenes

This is Bryanboy’s closet. I had eyes for the leather hat on the rack to the left.

Far out. That’s my “cave” for the set above. You know what’s scary? It almost resembles my actual computer set up, two monitors, Wii and all.

It was a great run guys. Thanks, Nokia.