Lenovo Smartphone Launches its Major Branding Campaign by Allying with Kobe Bryant

BEIJING, Aug. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- On August 11, 2013, the first "Meet Kobe" event for the Lenovo smartphone users club, themed "Challenge Bryant, Let Dreams Happen" was held in Beijing. Lenovo smartphone ambassador Kobe Bryant and Senior Vice President of Lenovo Group and President of Lenovo Business Group Liu Jun attended the event. As the closing event for "Kobe Travels China," Lenovo used the "Meet Kobe" event series to launch its strongest brand campaign of the year, aligning itself with Kobe Bryant to enhance its brand image and accelerate its push toward leading the PC+ Era.

Aligning itself with Kobe Bryant: The Lenovo brand accelerates its transformation towards a younger, consumption-based image

Liu announced at the media conference, "All along, Lenovo smartphones have upheld a brand connotation of "people-oriented innovation, superior value, and global intelligence." Similarly, Kobe Bryant has found popularity among youth worldwide through his image of "charismatic leadership, courage to strive to be the best, and constant transcendence of ego." Its alliance with Kobe Bryant will help Lenovo smartphones shift its mature, sober brand image toward a symbol of youth and consumption. The alliance with Kobe Bryant is an important measure in deepening Lenovo's internationalization strategy and helping Lenovo become the leading brand of the PC+ Era."

Bryant became an official ambassador for Lenovo smartphones in China and Southeast Asia in early 2013. Bryant was present at the event to the pleasant surprise of the audience. Bryant mentioned in his speech that he is honored to have become ambassador for Lenovo smartphones, and that after a period of in-depth cooperation he is further convinced that Lenovo is an especially outstanding international brand. He went on to describe his experience using Lenovo products as very cool and explain that he is especially pleased that his cooperation with Lenovo gives him the opportunity to expand and deepen his direct contact and communication with the young people of China. In the future, he says, he will do his best to help Lenovo spread its brand spirit, and hopes that Lenovo will become an outstanding world-class brand.

Branding upgrade: Lenovo smartphone users club attracts youth markets

In 2013, Lenovo has carried out frequent brand building activities for its smartphones. Early this year, it signed a contract with Kobe Bryant hiring him as ambassador for Lenovo smartphones in China and Southeast Asia. In July, Lenovo smartphones allied itself with "The Voice of China" television program for the hotly anticipated launch of its second season, and developed new entertainment-oriented marketing modes. Through a series of influential branding and marketing actions, Lenovo smartphones succeeded in attracting the youth market and completed its transformation towards a younger, consumption-based brand image.

At the end of 2012, the Lenovo smartphones users club was formally established. The club is committed to providing Lenovo smartphone users with a platform providing the most efficient communication and best user experience - a platform to realize dreams. Relying on its large user base and focusing on its users' interests, Lenovo smartphones intended to build its smartphone user club into one of the best of its kind. In 2013, the first "Meet Kobe" event for Lenovo smartphones users was held at the Water Cube, the best way for Lenovo to reach its goal.

Ranking second in the Chinese market while eying first and holding fourth place globally

According to IDC's latest release of data in the first quarter of fiscal year 2013, the market share of Lenovo smartphones measured 4.7 percent, ranking fourth globally. Its quarterly sales have broken one million units for the first time, leading Chinese brands internationally. Within China, the world's largest mobile phone market, Lenovo's performance is equally impressive. Data from SINO Market Research Ltd. show that Lenovo smartphones have ranked second in the Chinese market in terms of market share for 13 consecutive months beginning in June 2012.

Along with its steadily upward performance in the global market, Lenovo is constantly accelerating its brand's internationalization strategy. The selection of Kobe Bryant as ambassador utilizes his extremely large influence worldwide and will help Lenovo establish its business image in the smartphone sector on a global scale, as well as further expand overseas markets and solidify Lenovo's international branding strategy.

Leading "Kobe Travels China," the "Meet Kobe" event series helped Lenovo smartphones launch its core marketing campaign of the year. Aligning itself with Kobe, Lenovo smartphones has aimed at young consumers and by deepening and broadening its internationalization strategy, Lenovo smartphones will prove its impressive strength to the world. The "Meet Kobe" event series has concluded successfully, but the splendid performance of Lenovo smartphones in the international arena will be continued.

This release is issued by Blue Focus on behalf of Lenovo.

SOURCE Blue Focus