Nothing Was Caught Using Stock Photos to Sell the Phone (3)

A digital graphic showing a back view of a white Nothing Phone (3) with its internal components visible, positioned next to the phone's front screen. The screen displays the same demo collage of five photos seen in a previous image, with the hashtag "#WithNothing." A large, blue, semi-transparent watermark text that reads "busted" is overlaid on the image. A yellow banner at the bottom of the graphic reads, "Nothing Was Caught Using Stock Photos to Sell the Phone (3)." The Unbox Diaries logo is in the top right corner, with social media handles at the bottom.

Nothing has been caught in a familiar marketing trap.

Nothing has been caught in a familiar marketing trap. The company was found using professional stock photos to promote the camera capabilities of its new Phone (3) on in-store demo units, a move that has sparked widespread criticism from the tech community.

The Discovery and The Facts

A demo screen for a Nothing Phone (3), showing a collage of five photos taken with the phone's camera. The images, presented in a grid, include: a detailed photo of a vintage car's headlight, a black and white portrait of a woman, an abstract shot of a glass with a dark drink, an interior architectural detail, and an ornate, detailed shot of a building's window. The top of the graphic features a large hashtag "#WithNothing" and the text, "Judge for yourself. Here's what our community has captured with Phone (3)." The bottom of the image has a caption reading, "The demo screen on Nothing Phone (3) showing stock photos via, PhoneArena."
The demo screen on Nothing Phone (3) showing stock photos via, PhoneArena

In-store demo units in New Zealand displayed a series of five photos under the heading, “Judge for yourself. Here’s what our community has captured with Phone (3).” The clear implication was that these photos were taken with the Phone (3). However, it was quickly discovered that the images were not genuine.

A photographer, Roman Fox, confirmed that his photo of a car headlight, used in the promotion, was taken with a professional Fujifilm XH2s camera in 2023, well before the Phone (3) was released. The other photos were also identified as licensed stock photos from a marketplace.

Nothing’s Response: An “Unfortunate Oversight”

Nothing co-founder Akis Evangelidis addressed the situation on X, calling the incident an “unfortunate oversight.” He explained that the stock images were meant to be placeholders for the initial demo units submitted four months before the phone’s launch. Evangelidis stressed that there was “no ill intent” and the company was working to fix the issue.

Why It Matters for the Brand

This is not the first time a company has used misleading camera samples, but for Nothing, it’s a hit to its core brand identity. The company has always positioned itself as the antithesis of the tech world’s marketing spin. This misstep threatens to erode the very authenticity it has worked so hard to build, raising questions about whether the brand can live up to its promise of transparency.

Nothing called the use of stock photos an “unfortunate oversight.” Do you believe their explanation?

Let us know!

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