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Why This Weird and Wonderful Global Influencer Campaign Works

Authors: Jessica Gioglio Jessica Gioglio
Posted Under: Social Media
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As Lenovo’s new campaign showcases, sometimes it’s good to be weird. The company recently launched a global campaign to promote its new YOGA Tablet featuring YouTube stars from around the world. Called The #Goodweird Project, one of the videos from Russian YouTube star EeOneGuy generated more than 2.8 million views in less than 48 hours.

The campaign takes inspiration from Lenovo’s belief in “being different to be better, and embracing all that’s different and unique in the world. It inspires us to try new things, to innovate, to be a little weird. It’s a state of mind we like to call #Goodweird.”

As a result, Lenovo tapped three prominent YouTubers, including EeOneGuy in Russia, Matthew Santoro in the U.S., and The Viral Fever in India. Each were briefed to create a unique video celebrating their take on #Goodweird and were offered production assistance from the company’s agency, Portal A. The company also encouraged collaboration among the YouTube stars in a video featuring a #Goodweird global dance off.

In addition to the YouTube influencer partnerships, Lenovo has created a dedicated #Goodweird project microsite, which encourages its customers to explore the project and submit photos and videos showcasing their take on what qualifies as #Goodweird.

According to Lenovo, this is just the start, “The coming months will be a voyage of discovery through a universe of obscure facts, eye-opening ideas, and a whole bucketload of #Goodweird.”

The content marketing strategy here is meant to tie into the #Goodweird features of Lenovo’s new YOGA tablets. Targeted at millennial consumers, unique features of the new tablet range include the ability to project the tablet screen anywhere, a screen that promises to rival your TV, a battery life built for binge watching, and more.

So, what can you learn from this good yet weird campaign?

Think Globally, Act Locally

When developing a global campaign, the message needs to resonate across all countries while offering the flexibility for local personalization. Take a page from Lenovo’s playbook by partnering with influencers in key markets to help adapt the #Goodweird message to be locally relevant.

Don’t have the budget to work with YouTube influencers? Tap into the wisdom and local expertise of employees in those markets as creative briefs and first rounds of campaign materials are developed. If local marketing leads do not buy into and see relevancy for their market, they’re not going to support the campaign. It may take more time, strategy sessions, and rounds of reviews, but the end result will be worth it. Plus, the benefits you reap from cultivating a culture of collaboration with your international partners will last far beyond the campaign.

Create a Memorable Experience for Influencers

Yes, there is financial incentive for YouTube influencers to partner with brands. However, the end result is ultimately a reflection of the influencer’s personal brand, and any creator worth working with wants to be happy with the end result. A unique aspect of this campaign is how Lenovo went beyond simply partnering with influential YouTubers—they seized the opportunity to create an experience for them. By enlisting their agency Portal A to provide production assistance, the YouTube stars could push their own limits, try new things, and ultimately flex their creative muscles.

In an interview with Fast Co.Create, Portal A director Morgan Wise said, “Our job was to work hand-in-hand with global YouTube talent, creating short films and music videos that embody that spirit, giving these creators the creative and production resources necessary to make their most ambitious dreams a reality,”

Add Longevity to Your Campaign With Co-Created Storytelling

While Lenovo has created its own video ads to tell the #Goodweird story, co-creating content (with both influencers and fans) adds important dimensions. Both groups will bring their own vision to the concept, allowing Lenovo to tap into the powerful word-of-mouth endorsement often found in user-generated content.

When curated together on the #Goodweird microsite, the content also forms into a story powered by customers. Seeing opinions and content directly from other customers informs how they perceive the new YOGA tablets and campaign, while influencing future iterations of the project. The ability to tap into and re-use the most compelling content on Lenovo’s social media channels also supports the campaign longevity.

Could consumer-powered content and storytelling be part of the “voyage of discovery” Lenovo promises in the coming months? Only time will tell…

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