Lenovo, the world’s second largest PC maker, was using the influential Hong Kong market to study brand effectiveness. Research revealed that the most important brand attributes for Hong Kong consumers – from trustworthiness to international popularity – were areas Lenovo had opportunities to improve.

The agency was brought in for a corporate branding campaign. It needed to cut across Lenovo’s different product lines and price points, maintain the aspirational message of the existing brand positioning “For Those Who Do,” and add the relevance and authenticity needed to engage new consumers.

It couldn't be a cosmetic fix.

The product was technology, but the connection needed to be cultural. Having created a list of what’s hot in Hong Kong from green living to Korean pop music, the agency sought a match between passion and product. Then one day it rode in the door. A cycling fanatic named Lee Minghay planned a 14,000 kilometer bike journey from Germany to his native Hong Kong and was looking for sponsorship. The team recognized Minghay as the epitome of “For Those Who Do” and his seven-month journey through Asia in 2012 as the perfect route to promote Lenovo’s message of authenticity, engagement and human potential. Lenovo supported Minghay in every aspect of “The Ride Back Home,” becoming part of the story and its ultimate triumph.

Minghay arrived in Hong Kong to a hero’s welcome, thrown by Lenovo. Over the course of the campaign, brand consideration of Lenovo had jumped 9%, overtaking Apple to become Hong Kong’s most considered computer brand.

Put the pedal to the metal.

The agency used a Hong Kong brand research and tracking firm to identify the most important brand attributes for Hong Kong consumers considering PC purchases. Additionally, we created a “hot list” of cultural and lifestyle passions among the demographic. The two strategic courses were brought together in the compelling storyline of Lee Minghay’s “The Ride Back Home.”

The team guided Lenovo’s sponsorship of Minghay’s seven month journey in 2012, providing Minghay with Lenovo ThinkPads, a buillt-in webcam, a GPS component, and a Facebook following. Leveraging Lenovo’s “For Those Who Do” message, the agency assembled the Lenovo Doer Squad; five experts in weather, fashion, travel, fitness and IT support who offered helpful advice to Lee via Facebook and encouraged followers to join in. Traditional media sources were directed to the human interest story, which culminated in a welcome home party that maximized cross-media coverage.

Driving the message home.

We landed 68 major earned media stories during the 7 month project, including 31 in-depth features. 78% of media coverage appeared in tier-one media, including general daily, business and lifestyle media, significantly extending brand reach beyond the IT arena. Lenovo saw a sharp 400% increase in Ride Back Home Facebook page visits and 65% increase in Lenovo HK Facebook page visits during promotion, with an engagement rate of 20.7%. Most striking of all, Lenovo brand consideration jumped 9% over the course of the campaign, overtaking Apple as Hong Kong’s preferred computer brand.