Nokia's latest marketing gimmick

I was pleasantly surprised when I stepped into the bus this morning and was greeted by a not-so-familiar sight.

A wave of striking red and white combination, a playful juxtaposition of two very prominent colours, each scrambling for my attention.

In place of the usual red seats were plush designer leather chairs.

There was even a tiny makeshift 'bar' with a white 'bar-top' to complete the whole elegant bar affair.

It's a pity then that the most complexing creatures on the bus remained the same, unaffected poise. People were comfortably ensconed on their chairs, wearing the same expressions that I witness everyday: Nothing. Or maybe bored. Then there are those catching a nap, listening to their iPods, staring blankly into space.

As I write this I turn and see a girl, whose books were placed incongruously on the 'bar-top', yawning oafishly. I thought of how my friend once said that a girl, no matter how gorgeous or pretty, would appear ugly to her if her mannerisms so much as dictate her to yawn in public without covering her mouth.

Instead of the usual news broadcast telecasting on TV Mobile; TV Mobile was unceremoniously switched off, and in its place was a Nokia Music TV set, which was airing a series of nokia ads.

Flamboyant nokia ads donned every nook and cranny of the bus.

Apparently, this is the latest marketing gimmick by the intelligent folks at Nokia.

I thought it would be amusing to see the looks on people's faces as they boarded the bus, but apart from an initial quizzical once-over, each bedraggled commuter that boarded the bus sported the same worn-out look.

It seemed perfectly normal then that the most excited ones on the bus were two Filipino maids who giggled like two giddy schoolgirls, as both made cursory glances and one gesticulated pointedly at the pure white designer chairs.

Also, in place of the usual neat and orderly arrangement of the chairs, were chairs of various nature placed in differing and strategic positions. There were relax chairs and luxury chairs, all pearly white, which could be rotated 180-degrees clockwise. The plushness of the chairs could give Angelina Jolie and her lips a run for her money.

And the usual dull gray that lined the windows of the bus, had an extra smart suit embellished over them, made of red velvet felt material.

Now, don't you wish you had been in that bus?