GetAngry.com
Lenovo
Issue 5 | July 2008
Agency
Singleton OgilvyOne
Creative Team
Simon Bloomfield - Creative Director;Matt Andrews - Copywriter;Paul Barkley, Simon McGrath - Art Directors
Production Team
Max Baron;Chris Tantchev
Other Credits
Reto Wolf - Account Service
Date
May 2007
Background
The commercial PC industry is flat. Lenovo therefore needed to increase their share of competitive accounts to maintain market position. The agency identified a significant opportunity for growth in the Mid Market space (500-1,000 employees). This deeply cluttered and highly competitive environment was key for the long term success of Lenovo. However, the challenge to winning accounts within this segment is that most of the time they are locked in to contracts with other PC vendors. This makes it extremely difficult for sales reps to close a sale or even just start a conversation.
Idea
An independent study claimed that Lenovo's computers are the most reliable PCs in the world. The agency used this as the basis of its campaign strategy, along with a simple human truth - the anger and frustration that an unreliable PC can cause. The DM piece was sent to a target of 30 carefully selected IT decision makers in Mid Market sized companies. It explained in a rather dramatic way how to 'cut' IT costs by prompting them to use the enclosed circular saw on their existing IT and install Lenovo. A padlock on the saw's trigger made the piece inoperable without seeing a sales rep for a face to face meeting.
Off the back of the successful DM piece, the campaign was extended by carrying the powerful proposition into a viral environment, demonstrating the frustrations that can happen if anything but the most reliable PCs are used - this included YouTube videos, emails and a campaign specific microsite. View the virals on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXJZXR5Qb-8
Results
On the DM piece alone, the ROI was 26:1. It achieved a 53% response rate (16 of 30 mailings). 33% (or 11 of 30) arranged a face to face meeting with a Lenovo sales rep. 13% (or four prospects) became high value customers, generating more than AUS$400,000 in revenue after eight weeks of lodgement. The microsite received 16,035 unique visits during the two months campaign - 10,000 over target. The email achieved a 34.4% (12,036) open rate and a 30% (10,523) click through rate - both above industry averages. There have been 37,843 views of the YouTube videos to date.
Target Audience
B2B, with a specific target audience of IT decision makers in Mid Market sized companies (500+ employees). Lenovo's sales reps gathered a list of their top 30 prospect accounts that were currently locked in with competitor contracts. For the ensuing viral campaign, prospect databases had been developed off the back of previous third party promotions.
Size
30 mail packs and approximately 35,000 emails
Our Thoughts
I whinged about how many clients don’t really spend money on production in DM, the way they do above-the-line. Not Lenovo’s problem. With this campaign they lavished $500 on each of their prospects. Result, an ROI of 26:1. You have to spend money to make money. That’s today’s lesson from Australia.