08. Lenovo Ashton Kutcher

You’ve seen it a thousand times:  A brand and celebrity partnering up to promote a product. The truth is, consumers see right through it. With buzz fading after just a few days, this kind of influencer model simply isn’t working.

Lenovo had a new solution: a multi-dimensional partnership, where the person promoting their product also helped to create it. This ideal partner was Ashton Kutcher: a tech-savvy pioneer at the forefront of entertainment – with a massive fanbase to prove it. As Lenovo’s newest employee, Ashton joined debates with product engineers, brainstormed promos with the marketing team, and told a complete story as he worked across the company.

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First, build association between the influencer and brand. Lenovo and Ashton developed a six month digital plan to reveal the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro.  Gearing up for a smart product launch, they developed custom content showcasing Ashton’s engineering contributions. To kick of the campaign they jumped on global trending topics, like the World Cup, where Ashton tweeted a request to Lenovo’s CEO for the day off to cheer on his team. Then for Throwback Thursday, Ashton photobombed iconic photos with Elvis Presley and Albert Einstein, subtly calling out his Lenovo roots.

This organic content was wildly successful, reaching nearly 12 million people on Facebook alone.

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‍Second, use the partnership to tell meaningful stories. While developing the tablet, Ashton sought out feedback from focus groups, ranging from outspoken 5-year-olds to informed entrepreneurs. They published eight videos of the sessions online, showing how consumer feedback directly informed features and product design. Those videos gained heavy media attention, and reached over 14 million fans. To gather even more feedback, Ashton responded to product reviews from Australia to China, asking questions, telling jokes, and giving away tablets.

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Third, take buzz to a new level at product launch. Ashton proudly introduced the Yoga Tablet 2 to the world via livestream, along with an intimate video giving a peek into a “Day in the life” of his tablet. Seen by over 3 million, this content was picked up by hundreds of global press outlets. And the campaign didn’t just live online – the story continued with three hilarious TV commercials.

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The authentic partnership between Lenovo and Ashton led to an overwhelmingly positive response from PR and fans – who truly felt like they had a hand in shaping the new tablet. With that, Lenovo knew they had hit their goal: revolutionizing the way they partner with influencers. And, spoiler alert: Their story doesn’t end here – it’s just the beginning.

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