To efficiently promote the new Sony Ericsson device Xperia X1 and show the target audience the advantages of the product and how it can be used, we launched a special project with celebrities who are also trendsetters.

Three Russian celebrities from different business areas (media, fashion and banking) swapped their professions and with the help of Xperia X1, demonstrated the process and results of their work. Denis Simachev, The No.1 Russian fashion designer became a banker and created a financial product concept. Oleg Tinkov, famous businessman became a TV producer and made a TV program pilot. Tina Kandelaki, TV celebrity, journalist and producer became a fashion designer. A special website was developed for the project with links to the Kommersant site, an online edition of the leading business newspaper in Russia. The program was also announced on radio station Silver Rain, a leading broadcaster among to a premium audience.

On the website participants demonstrated how X1 helped them in their work, to exchange data, connect to Skype, use Google maps, etc. They made comments daily on the site and participated in a radio station program that promotes business cases.

Overall mechanics• During the three weeks celebrities reported on their success in their new business and made video, photo and comments in their blogs on the X1 promotional site. Project participants had joint meetings and brainstorms to develop their concepts. The audience of the Kommersant newspaper site (leading business newspaper) could ask them about business tasks, etc. Participants took part in the Silver Rain radio program.• Oleg, Tina and Denis introduced results of the experiment and the site incorporated simulators of their X1’s – with their private contents, including videos, photos, SMS, and diary.

Product integration• All key functions were demonstrated and tested by all participants• Site branding, product placement in videos and radio reports • Special interactive X1 TV-commercial where Tina talked about the experiment and X1. Visitors of the site and Tina’s blog on LiveJournal.com were able to type their phone number to get a call from Tina.

• 355,820 people visited the website (unique visitors)• 64,970 people watched an interactive TV-commercial • 21,172 people got Tina’s call• Almost €70,000 AVE coverage in more than 20 publications about the project• MasterCard and Sberbank are planning to issue the Denis card • Oleg Tinkov has got several proposals to run his “constant” business program• Oleg Tinkov also opened a private blog just after the project and during the week collected 6,000 friends (subscribers).