How Lenovo 'Unboxed' Yoga Tablet 2 on Twitter

To drive conversations around Yoga Tablet 2, Lenovo leveraged the virtual clout of four 'Twitter Influencers'.

The use of social influencers is beginning to gain popularity among brands. Take the recent example of Lenovo. The computer technology company, that has been active on social media since 2010, roped in four Twitteratis, or Twitter celebrities, to drive social media conversations around the launch of the Yoga Tablet 2.

The campaign, #Yoga2bfree, was based on the concept of 'Unboxing' one's life from the shackles of restrictive technology. The video and storytelling-based campaign borrows its concept from the phenomenon of 'unboxing' gadgets that first became popular in 2005. Participants were required to leverage clues given to them by the four 'trapped' Twitteratis and eventually help them gain freedom.

The tablet was launched on October 16 and the campaign ran on Twitter for three days before the launch.

Within two days of its launch the campaign received eight million impressions on Twitter and 15,000 engagements on Facebook.

While pre-launch buzz was generated on Twitter, the brand advertised in leading print dailies on the day of the launch. The post-launch phase will include TV ads.

The digital agency behind the campaign is Experience Commerce (EC).

The influencers include actor Ashwin Mushran, gadget guru Ankit Vengurlekar, film reviewer Mihir Fadnavis and food blogger Kalyan Karmakar.

Sandip Maiti, CEO and chief creative officer, Experience Commerce, says, "Gadgets such as tablets are designed to help us lead a more connected, productive and fun life, but take them out of the box and you often see yourself enslaved and tethered to these devices. This campaign is designed to raise awareness about how you can free your life from restrictive technology, and discover a brand that promises to adapt to you."

Bhaskar Choudhuri, director, marketing, Lenovo India, says, "The idea was to create buzz around the design of the new tablet. Today, almost all tablets look same. We needed to do something different in order to make this product a success. We listened to our customers and came out with a unique design element. The campaign was a way to communicate the advantages of those design elements."

For the record, the growth of tablet sales has been slow in 2014, as the new crop of hardware buyers is turning to alternative devices, and existing users are finding ways to extend the life of the tablets they already own. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), in Q1-2014, the India tablet market (shipments) stood at 0.78 million units, representing a year-on-year drop of 32.8 per cent, when compared to Q1-2013. The drop was primarily due to lack of new buyers.

Choudhuri attributes this lull to the "lack of innovation in product design." He is hopeful Yoga 2 will help his brand change the trend and lure new consumers into the tablet market.

Lenovo is offering three sizes and operating systems for people to pick from. Besides Android models (20.32 cm, 25.65 cm and 33.78 cm) consumers can, for the first time, opt for a Windows model (25.65 cm) too. The new range includes the following features: Dolby Wolfson HiFi audio, 8MP rear and 1.6 HD front camera, Intel Atom Processor Z3745, battery power of upto 18 hours, and multiple mode options like hang, stand, hold and tilt.