Shake Your City – Sony Ericsson 2007 | Clapboard Ad Archive

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Shake Your City - | Clapboard Ad Archive

Shake Your City, Sony Ericsson’s 2007 campaign for its Walkman phone range, injects the electronics and technology category with a riot of kinetic energy, pairing the exuberant spirit of youth with the mobile soundtrack capabilities that defined the brand’s proposition at the time. Originating from a creative partnership with agency teams actively mining urban dynamism for commercial appeal, the campaign deviates from conventional product demonstration in favor of pure metaphor: two irrepressible young men tear through a city, physically shaking objects, street furniture, and even the cityscape itself in a playful visual exaggeration of what happens when music animates daily life. Rather than highlighting technical features or delivering a narrative resolution, the film externalizes the core benefit — mobility, infectious enthusiasm, and empowerment — projecting the effect of the Walkman phone well beyond its physical confines. In a category often marked by literalism and specification, Sony Ericsson opts for a strategy that Clapboard’s FORMAT#9 Symbolize the Benefit classification places within symbol-driven impact: the city becomes a living amplifier, vibrated and reconfigured by music-fueled momentum, casting the Walkman device as a trigger for transformation and self-expression rather than a utilitarian gadget. The irreverent, slightly NSFW approach signals a bold play for cultural credibility among a young, digitally attuned audience, visually aligning the brand’s product with the rebellious verve of contemporary urban tribes. With its singular creative device and high-impact visual logic, the campaign disregards didactic communication in favor of emotional contagion, effectively repositioning Sony Ericsson from legacy function-first narratives to a lifestyle brand with attitude and verve. The film, delivered in English to maximize pan-market resonance and digital shareability, lands as a distinct statement in a crowded marketplace, underlining Sony Ericsson’s ambition to associate its name not simply with utility, but with electrifying experiences that move their users and their environments alike. The campaign earns 63/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. Shake Your City matters because it distills the shift from product feature sell to lifestyle resonance, illustrating how electronics brands can generate cultural salience when they lead with an idea instead of a specification.

Credits

Agency

Saatchi & Saatchi, Frankfurt, Germany

Creative Director

Henning Patzner, Anne Petri

Director

Jessica Benzing, Maximilian Gerlach

Producer

Hendrik Feil

Production House

Wasabi

Account Management

Sandra Schamber

Category Mind Map

48%

The "Shake Your City" campaign leverages the dynamic energy of youth culture to position its product as an enabler of spontaneous, playful interaction with one's environment. Centered around two young men physically "shaking" elements of the city, the film draws a parallel to the product's core feature—the Sony Ericsson Walkman phone—emphasizing portability, music engagement, and an active lifestyle. This brand proposition hinges on the promise of empowering users to disrupt the mundane with fun, movement, and connection, blending technology seamlessly into everyday urban life. Strategically, the campaign taps into the growing trend of mobile music consumption and youth-driven cultural expression prevalent in 2007. By personifying the product's capabilities through kinetic visuals and relatable characters, it targets a younger, tech-savvy demographic eager to merge technology with self-expression. The creative angle uses humor and urban exploration to highlight the phone’s unique selling point, fostering an emotional resonance that positions the device not just as a gadget, but as a companion for an adventurous lifestyle. This insight into consumer behavior aligns the brand with a performance-driven, dynamic identity that stands out in the competitive electronics market, reinforcing its relevance in technology intertwined with everyday life.

FORMAT#9 SYMBOLIZE THE BENEFIT — Uses symbols or exaggerated visuals to represent the product’s positive impact. This campaign, “Shake Your City,” follows two energetic young men running through the city and shaking everything they can touch, inspired by Sony Ericsson Walkman phones. Rather than directly demonstrating product use or providing narrative resolution, the creative device takes the phone’s “shake” feature or the dynamic, musical energy it brings and externalizes it into playful, exaggerated urban mayhem. The act of “shaking” the city becomes a visual metaphor for how the Walkman phone energizes, transforms, and animates the world around its youthful users—perfectly fitting the Symbolize the Benefit format by depicting the product’s impact through vibrant, symbolic action, not literal instruction or testimonial. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

1. Samsung – Positioned as an innovation leader in consumer electronics, Samsung focuses on cutting-edge technology, broad product range, and integrating smart features. Their strategy emphasizes design, performance, and ecosystem connectivity across devices to create a seamless user experience. 2. Sony – Known for high-quality electronics with a strong emphasis on entertainment and multimedia performance, Sony differentiates itself through premium build quality, audio-visual expertise, and extensive content partnerships in gaming, music, and film. 3. LG Electronics – LG positions itself around user-centric technology with a focus on smart home integration and superior display technology. It leverages OLED innovation and energy-efficient solutions to appeal to tech-savvy consumers seeking high performance and reliability. 4. Panasonic – Emphasizes durability and trusted performance in professional and consumer electronics. Panasonic is recognized for reliable, long-lasting products with a strong foothold in home appliances and audiovisual technology aimed at practical users. 5. Philips – Focuses on health and lifestyle-oriented electronics with innovation in lighting and consumer wellness technology. Philips differentiates through design-led, user-friendly devices that blend technology with everyday life improvements.

Q: What is Shake Your City about? A: Shake Your City is a professional campaign launched in 2007 for Sony Ericsson, targeting the Electronics and Technology market. The campaign centers on a film featuring two energetic young men running through urban streets, shaking everything in their path, symbolizing the dynamic features of the Sony Ericsson Walkman phone. The creative idea leverages the vibrancy of youth culture and the growing trend of mobile music, positioning the Walkman phone as a lifestyle accessory that empowers users to infuse their environment with music and movement. Presented in English, the campaign was designed to resonate with tech-savvy audiences seeking entertainment and connectivity. Q: What creative device does Shake Your City use? A: Shake Your City employs the Symbolize the Benefit format, classified as FORMAT#9 in Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. Rather than showing direct product usage, the campaign externalizes the phone’s energetic, music-driven capabilities through exaggerated, playful action—two young men physically shaking elements of the city. This visual metaphor represents how the Sony Ericsson Walkman phone energizes and transforms the user’s world, making the product’s impact tangible and memorable. The approach aligns with Clapboard’s classification by using symbolic action to communicate the core benefit, rather than literal demonstration or testimonial. Q: What is the campaign proposition for Shake Your City? A: The campaign proposition for Shake Your City positions the Sony Ericsson Walkman phone as an enabler of spontaneous, playful interaction with the urban environment. By showcasing two young men shaking the city to life, the campaign draws a parallel to the product’s core features—mobility, music engagement, and an active lifestyle. This message targets a youthful, tech-oriented audience eager to blend technology with self-expression, highlighting the phone as a companion for adventure and connection. In the competitive electronics market, this strategic positioning underscores Sony Ericsson’s commitment to empowering users to disrupt the ordinary with fun, movement, and digital connectivity. Q: How does Shake Your City rank in Clapboard's archive? A: Shake Your City holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 63/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s global ad archive. Q: Who are the competitors in Sony Ericsson's category? A: In the electronics and technology sector, Sony Ericsson faces competition from several major brands. Samsung is recognized for its innovation leadership and seamless device ecosystem, while Sony emphasizes premium entertainment and multimedia performance. LG Electronics focuses on user-centric technology and advanced display solutions, Panasonic is known for durable, reliable products across consumer and professional markets, and Philips differentiates itself with lifestyle-oriented electronics that integrate technology into everyday wellness and convenience. Each brand brings a distinct approach to engaging tech-savvy consumers in a rapidly evolving marketplace.