Mobiado is a Vancouver-based luxury mobile phone brand founded by Peter Bonac in 2004. A UBC Engineering Physics graduate, Bonac turned his dream of creating a distinctively different mobile phone into a business venture with distributors in 12 countries. His technologically advanced mobile phones were regarded as an icon of modernism and earned acclaim from the press. In 2011, British luxury sports car maker Aston Martin announced a brand licensing agreement with Mobiado, paving the way for the launch of co-branded products in the highly competitive luxury mobile phone market. Is Bonac ready to take his Mobiado venture forward with this collaboration? This case sheds light on the background of Mobiado and the challenges faced by Bonac, a Canadian entrepreneur who aims to do things differently.

After completing the case study, students should be able to:

• describe the key characteristics of a luxury mobile phone;
• discuss the importance of social media to an organization;
• analyze the role played by the distribution channel;
• understand the problem of counterfeiting;
• explore the implications of a strategic partnership with another much bigger firm.