Earlier this year Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia’s devices and services business went through. The company has a license to use the “Nokia” brand for marketing materials and it has done so in order to ease the transition. Now though it looks like the folks at Redmond are ready to cut the cord. A leaked document has surfaced online which details the company’s branding strategy for this holiday season. It reveals that the Nokia and Windows Phone brand will not be used in marketing materials.
GeekOnGadgets was the first to receive this document which was later verified by The Verge as well. Not only will Microsoft stop using the Nokia brand for smartphones, it will also stop placing the Windows Phone logo alongside smartphones in promotions and campaigns.
This means that Lumia will be the hero brand for Microsoft’s smartphones. Its possible that the “Microsoft” brand might accompany Lumia in future marketing materials, regardless of the fact that it was Nokia which came up with the Lumia moniker. Seeing as how Lumia is synonymous with Windows Phone smartphones Redmond may not want an abrupt change that could result in confusion among potential customers.
It is said that instead of placing the Windows Phone branding Microsoft will simply use the standard Windows logo. This change won’t really come as a surprise given that this is exactly what Microsoft did with marketing materials for HTC One M8 for Windows. The company’s latest ads for Cortana don’t even have a mention for Windows Phone.
There has been growing speculation recently that perhaps Microsoft is going to further simplify various brands so much so that the next iteration of desktop Windows OS is expected to be simply called Windows. Microsoft has not commented on this report as yet and even if it doesn’t say anything we just have to look out for its marketing materials this holiday season, any changes will be quite evident.