I like it. Yes, it’s not instantly clear what it’s got to do with phones and yes we’re probably reaching saturation point in terms of animals in ads what with all those meerkats, cats with thumbs and dancing ponies – and that’s before you even rewind back to the PG chimps and Andrex Puppy.

But even a cynical cat person like myself had a hard time suppressing a smile – and that’s something you can’t say for a lot of the crap that fills up the breaks. And if you want the plannery bollocks, there’s a nice observation in there about how jaded we are about technology, and in Britain, how jaded people are about life in general. We moan about our mobile internet being a little slow but forget that it didn’t even exist (for most of us) ten years ago.

The sign of a good creative idea is that it contains a point of view that transcends a specific execution and offers a platform for new thinking – and this campaign probably needs to build a bit more before it really starts to feel distinctively ‘O2′.

But the TV spot also shows the importance of ‘how you say it’ in the first place – in this case the power of a simple analogy. If Samsung or LG had tried to tackle this topic, we probably would have ended up with some generic, pompous guff about ‘limitless possibilities’ or ‘the power of curiosity’. ‘Be more dog’ manages to talk optimistically about technology in a way that’s down-to-earth and charming.

If you’re still reading, there are also some interesting digital extensions – throw frisbees from your phone to your PC, make a (rather heavily branded) cat/dog video for a friend or watch Dom Jolly getting overexcited about cool new gadgets etc

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News of the Google internet bus tour got me thinking about Nokia’s recent  initiative to engage rural Indian communities.

Multinationals have long come in for criticism over their conduct in emerging markets, however, mobile telecommunications is one area where development can be a win-win both for global brands and the customers they serve.

Agriculture is an unpredictable business, especially in rural India, where decision-making is often-made with little or no access to information about how much crops will be worth until they get to market. As a response to this, Nokia is launching an innovative set of mobile applications to help its core customer base of rural farmers with their everyday business.

LifeTools is a simple, but pragmatic set of services giving users access to localised information about weather, agricultural prices and tips. In addition, the services also provide educational and entertainment content including tools to help users learn English, listen to music and check the cricket scores. From a technology perspective, Nokia has wisely decided to go back to basics, using SMS technology rather than GPRS, to ensure maximum coverage.

While Nokia may be struggling to compete with Apple in the high-end space, it has long been the major player in emerging markets like India, where it has an astonishing 70% share of mobile handset sales. The demand for iPhone in the US and Europe might grab all the headlines, however, it is emerging markets that offer the greatest long-term opportunity for mobile services.

Furthermore, as many rural areas do not benefit from fixed-line infrastructure, many of these consumers’ first experience of the internet will be via their mobile phone. While it’s too early to evaluate the success of Lifetools, the offering seems practical, well-targeted and shows that Nokia understands the needs of its core customers, something that is key to engendering brand loyalty.

While it might be a while before Indian farmers are able to subscribe to Twitter on their phones, the launch of LifeTools is a great first move by Nokia and one that positions it well for the future.

To find out more, check out the Nokia LifeTools Presentation

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