During India’s second wave of the COVID 19 pandemic, the nation suffered from feelings of fear, anger, despair, and loneliness due to the isolation and anxiety caused by the spread of the virus. Lenovo wished to reach out and demonstrate their empathy to their customers, without appearing as though they were capitalizing on a sensitive situation. The idea was to create a ‘Music Balm’. A playlist from Lenovo, designed as an antidote to the negative feelings amongst the Target Audience. Using our unique process which combines the science of sound and the art of music, we composed three tracks, which used specific scales and harmonies to elicit a positive response. Viewers/listeners on social media were invited to ‘stop scrolling, take a minute, and breathe in positivity’.

We approach sound strategically, using the Indian ‘Rasa Theory’, which identifies the nine principle emotions that art can evoke in its expression. We mapped the consumer’s mental state and found that the three prevailing negative ‘rasas’ or emotions were Fear (Bhaya), Anger (Raudra), and Despair (Bhibhatsa). We composed restorative sonic scapes to alleviate these negative feelings, incorporating ragas/scales proven to evoke positive rasas, namely Caring/Compassion (Karuna), Happiness/Positivity (Hasya), Peace/Comfort (Shanta). We created three soundscapes using these restorative rasas to create empathetic communication from Lenovo. When and where these compositions appeared on newsfeeds and explore pages was crucial to effectively communicate the message. Lenovo’s media strategy partner carefully selected the right platforms and influencers to involve. They identified Facebook communities comprising the target group aged 18-34 and promoted the initiative via the admins.

Ideation to implementation took only a month. The rollout was immediate to ensure the campaign was truly impactful. The campaign started on June 7th, 2021, and ended on August 1st, 2021. This campaign enabled Lenovo to forge an emotional connection with the customer, build brand loyalty and awareness, and boost customer delight. The ‘Music Balm’ series was amplified on all major digital platforms. We used Midi files, Soundbanks, Digital Audio Workstations, and other professional sound engineering tools to lay down musical input and mix and master the soundscapes created. The initiative captured millions of impressions and views by identifying a consumer need. Across social media, we garnered 14 million impressions and 7.2 million views with over 3.9k new brand mentions. Lenovo’s music streaming partner generated 100 million impressions. We received over 2.4k UGC posts and 27k comments from 39 Facebook communities engaged in the campaign. Positive sentiment for the brand achieved was 91%, and Lenovo’s share of voice increased to 23%.