Opera Mini and MINI on the streets of Barcelona
Published February 7th, 2008 11:27 AM EST By Daniel GoldmanWe’re doing something really cool this year for Mobile World Congress (formally known as the 3GSM conference) in Barcelona, Spain.
We’ve teamed up with MINI Spain to showcase both of our name-sharing products: Opera Mini and the MINI Clubman.
The all-red Opera Mini MINIs (see photo below) will travel in pack formation around Barcelona reminiscent of the famous MINI car scene in the film The Italian Job.
We’ll also be doing something special for Opera’s customers and media contacts. They’ll get a chance to experience the new MINI Clubman themselves with airport, hotel and conference transfers, and perhaps even the odd mobile meeting on wheels.
This year’s conference is of course a big one for Opera. It will be the first time we publicly show and demo the Opera Mobile 9.5 browser (screenshots and video here).
The Mobile World Congress 2008 will be held on the 11th through the 14th of February.
Too bad I’m here in the US; I won’t get a chance to ride in the Opera Mini MINI. 
(The Opera Mini MINI)
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Looks really cool, I’d love to have one like that
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Great marketing, good luck!
But, as Opera is “the real thing”, I would wish for you two to get a ride in a real Mini, not that expensive fake retro marketing gag. It is all plastic and has no serious inovation to it. For that price you can get a better car, and do some reading or whatever to get yourself some genuine lifestyle. (instead of buying it.
Clubman btw. was never a station wagon. It was the Mini with a square nose in 70ies style. The Mini station wagon was called Countryman and Traveller, and in the Clubman era it was called Clubman Estate. From that you can see how BMW is focussed alone on marketing. Countryman,Traveller and Estate are nice and descriptive names, but Clubman just sounds so hip they cannot resist. Errr… sounds like british lords playing in a golf club? haha
Sorry for this OT, and I dearly hope Opera gets much money out of these hip-people in despair of lifestyle. The new mini clubman in red is a perfect vehicle for that! Very good.
My plea is only, when it comes down to Opera internals, like real work, or personality, oh please please stay as genuine as Opera has always been. OK?
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I want a ride in the Opera Mini MINI, too!
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See, that was a perfect opportunity to run a competition giving away a free Mini, open to anyone with an Opera account older than, say, three months. I’d have quite happily won a Mini from you in the Opera colours (sans Logo), really I would.
Ah well, maybe next time.
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Finally the great example of Opera marketing! People need more like that!
BTW, I thinked about cooperation of Opera Mini and MINI two years ago or so.
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I want a ride in the Opera Mini MINI
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Yo - MiniMonza
Maybe you should drive one before pontificating. BTW - I happened to be in Barcelona and snapped a few of my own pictures of these Clubmans. I learned to drive in a Countryman, own a 67 Cooper and a 2003 Cooper S. BMW’s done a great job with this car.
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Forgive, I’m trying hard to stay on topic:
I agree BMW has done a great job - for themselves. I also -again- expressly congratulate Opera for this really good marketing. I would love one of those MINIs - *with* logo.
I think people at Opera will understand when I talk about the “real thing”. The original Mini in the 60ies introduced front wheel drive, orthogonal engine placement and 4 wheel independant suspension, at least in low budget cars. Now it is standard.
Opera also supports and fights for standards of the future. And against bloat
BMW used a heavy steel engine produced in South America on it’s first Mini, offers less room than the 60ies Austin Maxi, although the BINI is bigger and heavier than that. Sorry, but there is nothing Mini about the MINI, except the retro design part, in a time where innovation is absolutely at large. We all know what kind of innovation I mean.
BMW has proven to do better. But here, they are -only- making money. They harass anyone with “mini” in their URL. They capitalize on the brand name, but do not serve it’s history. Rights and responsibilities. But, I am glad to not have to pay their prices on parts :-D.
Sorry again for being partially OT, and, I guess, …pontificating.