The Challenge: One day you’re responsible for marketing a leading product manufactured by one of the most recognized and valuable brands in the world, and the next day that same product has been transferred to an unknown brand in Canada. How do you ensure that the brand equity comes with you in a takeover?
Just over a year ago IBM transferred its Personal Computer Division- maker of the highly acclaimed ThinkPad-to Lenovo. While Lenovo is a leading PC maker in China and much of Asia, the company was not nearly as well known in Canada. With that transaction, the marketing challenge changed radically, from driving demand for products made by a widely recognized technology and innovation leader to creating awareness and demand for the same products, but from a different producer. How would we turn the IBM ThinkPad into the Lenovo ThinkPad? The former IBM PCD marketing team collected their new Lenovo business cards and set out to determine how to quickly and convincingly communicate the brand attributes and value proposition of this new company.
In fact, the planning for the brand transition really began months before “Day 1.” The global marketing executive team and agencies worked to pull together the pieces of a deliberate and phased strategic plan to introduce the world to the new Lenovo.
Phase 1 had two key objectives. One was to maintain continuity and trust with our customers. ThinkPad has tremendous brand equity, and we wanted to quickly reassure the customer base that the ThinkPad was still the ThinkPad, designed, manufactured and sold by the same teams that had done so for IBM. In this first phase, we built on our strong foundation, and our marketing communications were product brand driven, featuring ThinkPad and ThinkCentre messaging and logo treatment. The second objective in phase 1 was to begin building the Lenovo master brand known for innovation, service excellence and high quality. In the early stages, the focus was on executing a strong communications effort, internally with employees and externally through public relations, our sales teams, sponsorships and events.
In the fall of 2005, phase 2 focused on communicating how Lenovo is making the ThinkPad better. We had a couple of very successful product launches during that time and our marketing communications focused on the fact that Lenovo was staying true to ThinkPad’s heritage for outstanding innovation and quality. We continued to lead with the product brand in our advertising during this time with a slow introduction of Lenovo woven into the copy and by late 2005, signing our ads with the Lenovo logo.
Phase 3 was Lenovo’s coming out party in February 2006 at the Turin Olympic Winter Games. During the Games, we launched a new product line, the Lenovo 3000 family. Lenovo wanted to tell the world that not only was it making the ThinkPad better for customers who want the ultimate business tool, but that we understand that different users have different needs, and the Lenovo 3000 family brings innovation and quality for small business users who are looking for worry-free computing at great value. In Canada, the focus was on communicating the positioning of this new family to the reseller community and we held numerous events for dealers, customers and media. Shortly thereafter, a new advertising campaign was launched in April, with a strong focus on building the Lenovo brand and generating demand for the ThinkPad and Lenovo 3000 families. Two different campaigns, each focusing on the unique positioning of each line, while connecting the common core brand attributes of innovation, quality and customer service through consistent messages.
Today in Canada we are running the two global campaigns with minimal local market adaptation in a variety of media across the country, focusing on brand awareness and demand generation. The marketing plan in Canada supports these two objectives through sponsorship, alliance marketing, online programs, and through our business partner community.
Through the year we have learned that establishing a high level of awareness is achievable by being strategic and thoughtful in selecting the appropriate programs and media, focused on our target market demographic. Lenovo is committed to success and the marketing team is determined to help make it a household name in Canada.
JANICE DAWES is marketing and strategy executive with Lenovo Canada in Toronto
