The Nikolai Organisation
Encyclopedia
The Nikolai Organisation (The N.O.) is a New Zealand
social media marketing
campaign created by Hadleigh Averill. It was started in 2007 for vodka
brand Smirnoff
and presents itself as headed by the mysterious "Nikolai", a man that no one has either seen or met.
The N.O. is an example of social media marketing
that brings on brand ambassadors (see Promotional model
, otherwise known as "agents," to take on ownership and promote the Smirnoff
brand. The N.O. started in 2007 and got up to 4,000 agents by May 2009, although due to a change to privacy
requirements, all agents had to rejoin in November 2009. Since November 2009, over 2,000 agents have signed up, with almost 10% actively partaking in missions or recruiting other members. Agents prepare and film their own missions, as well as taking part in missions organised by The N.O. Since November 2009 agents have uploaded missions that they have executed themselves, in line with the briefs
given which range from publicity stunt
s to good deeds. Some agents have posted over 30 missions in this short time. Agents are known for often wearing white boiler suits and drawing a lot of attention to themselves.
The N.O. has a social aspect through Pop-up Bars and Safe Houses where agents meet for various social events. is a New Zealand social media marketing campaign created by Hadleigh Averill. The Nikolai Organisation has implemented many missions with the aim of bringing positive change to New Zealand.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
social media marketing
Social media marketing
Social media marketing is an addition to personal, small business, corporate, and non-profit organizations’ integrated marketing communications plans...
campaign created by Hadleigh Averill. It was started in 2007 for vodka
Vodka
Vodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....
brand Smirnoff
Smirnoff
Smirnoff is a brand of vodka owned and produced by the British company Diageo. The Smirnoff brand began with a vodka distillery founded in Moscow by Pyotr Arsenievich Smirnov , the son of illiterate Russian peasants. It is now distributed in 130 countries.Smirnoff products include vodka, flavored...
and presents itself as headed by the mysterious "Nikolai", a man that no one has either seen or met.
The N.O. is an example of social media marketing
Social media marketing
Social media marketing is an addition to personal, small business, corporate, and non-profit organizations’ integrated marketing communications plans...
that brings on brand ambassadors (see Promotional model
Promotional model
A promotional model is a person hired to drive consumer demand for a product, service, brand, or concept by directly interacting with potential consumers. A promotional model can be female or male, and typically is intended to be attractive in physical appearance. They serve to provide information...
, otherwise known as "agents," to take on ownership and promote the Smirnoff
Smirnoff
Smirnoff is a brand of vodka owned and produced by the British company Diageo. The Smirnoff brand began with a vodka distillery founded in Moscow by Pyotr Arsenievich Smirnov , the son of illiterate Russian peasants. It is now distributed in 130 countries.Smirnoff products include vodka, flavored...
brand. The N.O. started in 2007 and got up to 4,000 agents by May 2009, although due to a change to privacy
Privacy
Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves and thereby reveal themselves selectively...
requirements, all agents had to rejoin in November 2009. Since November 2009, over 2,000 agents have signed up, with almost 10% actively partaking in missions or recruiting other members. Agents prepare and film their own missions, as well as taking part in missions organised by The N.O. Since November 2009 agents have uploaded missions that they have executed themselves, in line with the briefs
Briefs
Briefs are a type of short, tight underwear and swimwear, as opposed to styles where the material extends down the legs.In the case of men's underwear, briefs, unlike boxer shorts, hold the wearer's genitals in a relatively fixed position, which make briefs a popular underwear choice for men who...
given which range from publicity stunt
Publicity stunt
A publicity stunt is a planned event designed to attract the public's attention to the event's organizers or their cause. Publicity stunts can be professionally organized or set up by amateurs...
s to good deeds. Some agents have posted over 30 missions in this short time. Agents are known for often wearing white boiler suits and drawing a lot of attention to themselves.
The N.O. has a social aspect through Pop-up Bars and Safe Houses where agents meet for various social events. is a New Zealand social media marketing campaign created by Hadleigh Averill. The Nikolai Organisation has implemented many missions with the aim of bringing positive change to New Zealand.
Missions
"Missions" executed by the NO include:- Mission Samoa - 9 Agents went to Samoa to help clean up after the 2009 Samoa earthquake2009 Samoa earthquakeThe 2009 Samoa earthquake was an 8.1 Mw submarine earthquake that took place in the Samoan Islands region at 06:48:11 local time on September 29, 2009 . At a magnitude of 8.1, it was the largest earthquake of 2009....
resulting in a large TsunamiTsunamiA tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
. - Planting 22,400 native trees on Motuihe IslandMotuihe IslandMotuihe Island lies between Motutapu and Waiheke islands in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand, near Auckland. The island measures about , of which around are remnants of coastal forest. The island is a recreation reserve controlled by the Department of Conservation and administered by the Motuihe...
in AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand. - Pass the parcelPass the parcelPass the parcel is a popular British children's party game in which a parcel is passed from person to person around a circle, somewhat similar in its logistics to musical chairs....
- where Agents played a game of pass the parcel on the main street in Auckland at an intersection, with the aim of bringing a sense of fun to those around them. - Pillow fightPillow fightA pillow fight is a common game mostly played by young children in which they engage in mock physical conflict, utilizing pillows as weapons....
- in an alley off Queen Street, AucklandQueen Street, AucklandQueen Street is the major commercial thoroughfare in the Auckland CBD, Auckland, New Zealand's main population centre. It starts at Queens Wharf on the Auckland waterfront, adjacent to the Britomart Transport Centre and the Downtown Ferry Terminal, and runs uphill for almost three kilometres in a...
again with the aim of showed that you do not have to be a child to have fun.