Nearly 60% of South Africans have smartphones, which means 24 million people, less about 6m that are under the age of eight, will want one, or need one.
Of that remaining 18m that don't have the latest in cell technology, about 10m are young fashion-conscious teenagers, and a great phone is also a fashion statement.
Nokia recently released the next generation Nokia 2.3, with an array of features, but to differentiate the phone from the host of competitors, an affordable price was not enough.
Out-of-the-box thinking took Nokia's marketers into a space where young South Africans could identify with fashionista brand ambassadors and learn how they used the phone to enhance their businesses and personal life.
Nokia looked for creatives with "never-give-up" spirit. They had to be inspirational to their communities. The fields decided on were sport, fashion, beauty and photography.
HMD Global is the home of Nokia phones. Shaun Durandt, GM for Southern Africa, said Covid-19 had led to a sharp increase in social media engagements. A direct result of this was the need to find new ways to stay in touch with family, friends and clients.
Smartphones facilitated this through video conferencing, video calls and live streams. The ambassadors shared their tips and tricks on navigating the digital world.
Jean-Marc Johannes, who is a professional skateboarder, threetime Guinness World Record Holder, Olympic skateboarding qualifier and Nokia ambassador, said: "Use your devices to smartup your life, create some routine. If you study online and use your mobile phone as a classroom bell. I set daily reminders the night before to help schedule my days.
"Think outside the box. The internet is limitless, and we can turn our ideas into action in a matter of minutes. The key is to finding apps that bring out your best abilities — whether it is song writing, video production, art or even cooking. Remember, everything you document is content."
Fashion designer Zoliswa "Zolfreckels" Mbadu said: "It is important, now more than ever, to be active on social media, because that is the fastest and most convenient way to reach your audience. While you cannot physically connect with your most important clients, fans or followers, channel your passion and expertise into the digital space to engage them where they are.
"Most people are at home during this time, which means you have a captive audience. I create fun tips and advice videos on how to dress for online meetings. Digital creates an opportunity to stay connected despite distance."
Life in lockdown gave hairstylist Bomzi Lekgoro the opportunity to teach her parents the significance of a video call.
"They now know that they can use a phone to interact with their friends and family and digitally travel the world without leaving the comfort of their home. From a business aspect the shift to digital creates an opportunity to enhance skills, be it by learning how to do braids or cutting hair in my industry."
