Accessibility is at the heart of OnePlus Nord: Susie Liu

After having created an AR-based community inclusive launch experience for the OnePlus Nord last year, OnePlus has again stepped up in the AR arena to bring a near-physical experience for its users for the launch of the OnePlus Nord 2. With the launch just around the corner, OnePlus has come up with two AR-based games for consumers to provide a further immersive effect.

Susie Liu, Head of Strategy, OnePlus Nord, shares the backstage story behind the launch campaign, newer offerings from the brand, marketing strategy, and more.

Edited excerpts

Can you tell us the insight behind the conceptualization and execution of the Nord 2 AR experience campaign?

At OnePlus, we are committed to delivering fresh and exciting products, as well as experiences. When we were gearing up to launch our new product line, OnePlus Nord, the world had just started going into lockdown and our team had to face this new challenge and ideate on a different launch format. That is how we came up with the world’s first AR smartphone launch, which allowed our community to experience the launch of OnePlus Nord from the comfort of their homes. We also created a unique AR invitation through which users were able to experience the new device.  The campaign resonated with our community, but for us, that was just the beginning. 

With the rise of 5G and more powerful smartphones, we are now able to do more with AR technology than before, and we decided to continue integrating AR into our brand communications. This time around we wanted to use AR to really engage with our community through this innovative medium. Hence, we worked to develop an array of fast and smooth gaming challenges as part of the OnePlus Nord 2 5G AR experience.

The OnePlus Nord 2 5G unveiling is just around the corner, please throw some light on the AR experience with OnePlus Nord CE 5G and the performance record for the campaign.

For the launch of the OnePlus Nord CE 5G, AR was deployed to let users experience the physical features of the new device from their homes. With this campaign, users could easily access the AR experience just by clicking a link or scanning a QR code and experience the device up close using their smartphones.

As part of the launch campaign, users could also try their hand at winning the OnePlus Nord CE 5G through the ‘Unlock the Code’ minigame, which was also part of the experience. We saw high levels of engagement throughout the community and received very positive feedback from our users and consumers at large across India with over 240k + concurrent visits with an average dwell time of 1.61mins.

How are you rolling out the campaign and what are the offerings that it entails?

For the launch of the OnePlus Nord 2 5G that took place on Thursday, we created two interactive games leveraging AR technology: the “Fast and Smooth Challenge”, and the “1 Day Power Challenge”.

The “Fast and Smooth Challenge” is a pinball-style game that gives users the chance to experience the lifelike colour, smooth scrolling and high-refresh-rate of the Nord 2’s display first-hand. This game went live on July 12 and can be played until July 30. The “1 Day Power Challenge” went live on July 22, and showcased the potential of Warp Charge 65, our signature charging technology that gives users 0-100% in just 30 minutes.

Accessibility is at the heart of OnePlus Nord, and that’s why we designed the games to be simple, straightforward, and shareable – although it’s still quite a task to win the games! Users can play the challenges to their heart's content for a chance to win a OnePlus Nord 2 5G and other prizes.

Being a digital-first brand we will continue to engage with the user community online. We are constantly exploring avenues that allow us to innovate and create more meaningful experiences for them through leveraging new technologies.

What can the OnePlus community expect in terms of opportunities and giveaways for this Campaign?

Community has always been at our core, and online events play a significant role in our engagement with our community. The latest AR gaming challenges will provide users with an opportunity to experience the key features of the upcoming OnePlus Nord 2 5G through two exciting games. Once users complete either of the two games, they will be prompted to share their contact details in order to be part of an online raffle. The contest duration is from 12th – 30th July and the selection of the winners will be conducted via a randomized lucky draw mechanism. 10 lucky winners will win a OnePlus Nord 2 5G and 2,000 winners will win reward vouchers/coupons. Post-launch, OnePlus will also be introducing a brand-new AR challenge for the community to continue experiencing the device.

Apart from the AR gaming experience, what more can consumers expect from the upcoming OnePlus Nord 2 5G? Are there going to be any key/exclusive updates for the OnePlus Nord 2 5G?

Delivering flagship-level features at a greatly accessible price point, the OnePlus Nord 2 5G will be a worthy successor to the OnePlus Nord. Making the OnePlus experience more accessible across price segments, the OnePlus Nord product line offers users a well-rounded device experience while catering to changing needs and preferences.

The OnePlus Nord 2 5G integrates the flagship MediaTek chipset, the MediaTek Dimensity 1200-AI, with OnePlus having worked closely with MediaTek to enhance the AI-based features of the chipset. The collaborative AI work completed on top of MediaTek’s Dimensity Open Resource Architecture (DORA) brings a host of new AI-based features to the OnePlus Nord 2 5G to enhance the user experience across various touchpoints. To highlight the new AI capabilities of the chipset, OnePlus and MediaTek have chosen the name Dimensity 1200-AI to distinguish it from the standard Dimensity 1200.

The Nord 2 will integrate the following AI-enabled advancements: AI-assisted photography for superior imaging, display enhancements for a top-ranking user experience, better response times for faster and smoother gaming, and much more.

At OnePlus, we are committed to sharing the best technology with the world, and the OnePlus Nord line reaffirms this mission in a more accessible price category.

How are you communicating the message to the TG? What are your marketing strategies for the campaign and the big launch? 

With the OnePlus community playing host to avid gamers and tech enthusiasts, our distinctive, community-first campaigns have consisted of unique tournaments and e-sports opportunities to further connect with and deliver a more immersive experience to our users.  At OnePlus, we see augmented reality gaming as a great opportunity to connect with the youth and it is also a key area of interest among our user community. The AR Fast and Smooth Challenge continue to garner our users’ attention for announcing the launch of the OnePlus Nord 2 5G.

Our innovative marketing strategies primarily tie back to what our community wants and how best we can create an experience that caters to their interests without losing our vision of focusing on useful innovations that can make our lives easier. As a brand, OnePlus has always been focused on providing and taking its community through the launch journey for each of its devices.

What has been the YoY growth observed for OnePlus? What is the consumer sentiment for smartphones in India at the moment?

In Q1 2021, OnePlus grew more than 300% driven by the OnePlus Nord, which was the best-selling 5G smartphone during the quarter, and the OnePlus 8T. OnePlus was also the top 5G smartphone brand in the country in Q1 2021. India continues to be a key market for OnePlus since its entry in 2014 and the brand continues to strengthen its manufacturing capabilities in line with the ‘Make in India’ initiative and expand its local presence in the market.

OnePlus’ core principles and values remain focused on delivering excellent products and the best user experience. We feel that there is demand for great technology at affordable price points. At OnePlus, we are working towards enabling more and more people to have access to these products without compromising on core values.