Significant recognition to NiksiPirkka of the Pirkka magazine

KONSTA prizes for major promoters of Finnish invention and innovation were given on the event arranged on 26 April to celebrate the Finnish Inventor’s Day. The Pirkka magazine received the Media-KONSTA prize. Other recipients included Kone Corporation and Otaniemi, Espoo. The Finnish Inventor’s Day is part of the World Intellectual Property Day celebrated throughout the world on 26 April.

”The NiksiPirkka tips and hints column is a convincing proof of the extent and inexhaustibility of Finnish inventiveness. At the same time it is proof of the innovation ability and willingness that is present everywhere and which is too seldom offered an opportunity to make the results available for others. Hints and tips are everyday innovations, which should more than ever be given the position and appreciation they deserve in the Finnish innovation environment”, said the jury.

Tips and hints have been collected from the readers and published in the Pirkka magazine for 33 years, since 1974. The process was started by Osmo Lampinen, the then editor-in-chief of Pirkka, and managing editors Tuire Kansanen and Maija Kauppinen.

NiksiPirkka is the most read column in Finland – every time by over two million readers. Tips and hints are also sent in great numbers. Every fourth one is sent by a man, while the most active sender group consists of women aged 20–30.

So far readers have sent approximately 80,000 tips and hints, of which 4,000 have been published. The number sent has also grown year by year; in 2006 the total number received was nearly 10,000. The innovations have included around 1,200 subjects, of which the most popular by far have been tights, a plastic bag and a clothes peg. Nowadays tips and hints can also be sent, pictures included, to www.pirkka.fi.

”NiksiPirkka represents Finnish innovation and sense of humour at their best. The column also keeps up with times. Recently we have, for example, received more and more ‘green tips’, related to the wellbeing of the environment. Small actions can have large impact, and I am glad that we can provide Finnish people with such a popular and concrete way of sharing innovations,” said Marketing Manager Tuula Salmi of Kesko Food, who received the prize.

Further information:
Marketing Manager Tuula Salmi, Kesko Food Ltd, tel. +358 1053 37171
Editor Anssi Orrenmaa, tel. +358 50 352 1114.

The Pirkka magazine, published since 1933, has 2.5 million readers and is the biggest Finnish magazine. The Pirkka.fi site has 50,000 visitors every week. The most read pages include those of the Pirkka recipe search.

Kesko (www.kesko.fi) is a retail specialist whose stores raise the quality of consumers’ everyday lives by offering highly-appreciated products and services at competitive prices. Kesko operates in the Nordic and Baltic countries and Russia.