OgilvyOne Beijing launch fun campaign for Lenovo ThinkPad’s Xiao Ben

Feisty new X100e targets youth market

BEIJING — Lenovo ThinkPad and OgilvyOne Beijing have launched a funky new campaign to introduce the computer-maker’s latest model - ThinkPad X100e – as the perfect hybrid of a powerful laptop and a convenient netbook. Aimed at students and young professionals in China’s tier one cities, the 11-inch Xiao Ben (literally “small book”) is part of Lenovo ThinkPad’s strategy to appeal to younger consumers beyond its traditional base of business users.

Offering more than a typical netbook, ThinkPad X100e enables internet connectivity and office and entertainment functionality, anytime, anywhere. Younger consumers will be attracted to the Xiao Ben for its convenient-to-carry dimensions, full-size keyboard and competitive price, coupled with ThinkPad’s premium brand performance.

The challenge for OgilvyOne was to demonstrate the technical functions and features of the undersized laptop in a fun way that would make a big impression on the young audience.

Doug Schiff, Executive Creative Director of OgilvyOne Beijing, said, “This demographic has so much going on in their lives and they wear multiple hats, often in the span of a single day: child, parent, friend, employee, student, spouse, date, just to name a few. These frequently conflicting roles are reflected in their multifaceted personas and needs. We wanted the campaign to celebrate this ‘organized chaos’ in a fun way that the target would identify with.”

Creative Director on the project, Kama Yu, added, “Since style for this age group is all-important, we wanted to give the site some fashion flair, and not only show off the product’s functionality.”

OgilvyOne brought the idea to life by creating an entertaining, all-video website that features two characters, one male and one female, whose clothing and styling quickly alternate through 10 distinctly different genres as they simultaneously demonstrate 20 functions of the Xiao Ben X100e…and the characters’ multidimensional personalities – a theme the consumer can relate to. The print ad echoes the same concept.

To drive deeper engagement, consumers are invited to upload their own headshot photos to the site where they can try on all the dramatically different looks. Those photos can then be shared with friends online or downloaded as wallpaper or screensavers.

The month-long campaign will appear online, in print, OOH and retail. Banners, viral videos and screensavers on SNS such as renren.com have been created to drive traffic to the dedicated mini-site.

See for yourself and have some fun at http://x100e.thinkworld.com.cn/.

Credits:
Project: XIAO BEN (means Small Book – a netbook / notebook hybrid)
Client: Lenovo ThinkPad
Brief: Launch X100e to the youth market in China
Creative agency: OgilvyOne Beijing
Account Service: Julie Wang, Yifang Yu
Executive Creative Director: Doug Schiff
Creative Director: Kama Yu
Art Directors: Xiao Xin, Cheng Feng
Copywriters: Sam Sun, Zhao Fei
Agency Producer: Daqing Wang
Production House: Cai Tian She
Media Agency: Neo@Ogilvy (digital media), Maxus (offline media)
Exposure: Print, online, mini-site, OOH, and retail

About Ogilvy & Mather Group China
Ogilvy & Mather Group China (http://ogilvy.com.cn/) is the largest marketing communications network in China. It offers the full range of marketing communication disciplines including advertising, direct marketing, interactive media, database management, public relations, graphic design and related marketing disciplines.

As Brand Stewards, the agency works to leverage the brands of its clients by combining local know-how with a worldwide network, creating powerful campaigns that address local market needs while reinforcing the universal brand identity. The hallmark of the agency’s brand-building capabilities is 360 Degree Brand Stewardship®, a holistic approach to communications, using what is necessary from each discipline to build a brand.

Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide (www.ogilvy.com), a subsidiary of WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY), is one of the largest marketing communications networks in the world, with 497 offices in 120 countries, specializing in advertising, relationship and interactive marketing, public relations, sales promotion and related services.