HTC and Robert Downey Jr. inspire consumers with the new “Change” platform

Cristina Blanaru Ads, Creativity

HTC, global leader in mobile innovation and design, unveiled its most ambitious campaign to date, a long-term integrated strategy that celebrates company’s 17 years of disruption and innovation in the mobile industry. “Change” brand platform will embody the message that HTC inspires innovation by standing for “anything you want it to”, features  a broad range of digital, social, PR and above the line activity and will kick off with a series of ad creative fronted by Robert Downey Jr., to start on August 15th.

With Robert Downey Jr. as the instigator of change, the creative ads explore imaginative HTC word associations to invoke interest and talkability amongst consumers. The narrative follows the well-known actor and director as he kicks-off the realm of change made possible by HTC.

HTC’s innovation, authenticity and boldness have made us the change-makers in the mobile industry and led us to launch what influencers regard as the best phone in the world, the HTC One. Our original and playful Change platform is different to anything else out there and aligns our brand with the same qualities our phones are already known for. With this campaign, we are affirming what HTC’s role is in the mobile market which is to define change and to lead the industry in developing the newest and most innovative technologies.

Ben Ho,

CMO of HTC

Recognised as one of the most popular faces on the big screen, Robert Downey Jr. has signed a two-year deal with HTC. In addition to starring in the ad, he has injected his own style, working closely with HTC’s global agency 171 Worldwide (WPP Group) to shape its creative direction, putting change at the core of HTC’s brand by offering a variety of unique interpretations of the HTC acronym.

The brand platform will roll out in three phases with the initial advertising campaign highlighting HTC’s brand with a playful take on what it means to different people. The second phase will feature executions which highlight how HTC innovations—like BlinkFeed, Video Highlights and BoomSound—have changed the face of the mobile industry. The following ad spots will then focus on how HTC products empower individuals to drive change in their own lives.

Aligning with the preferences of HTC’s target audience, the ATL campaign will be heavily weighted to cinema, online and digital media. Experiential events in key markets, like the UK, US and Taiwan, will also bring the brand message to life for consumers, who will be able to experience the various creative interpretations of HTC for themselves. Extending the interpretation to consumers, a word randomiser app hosted on HTC.com and promoted via a range of social channels including Facebook, Google+ and Twitter, has also been developed to allow people to identify the most outlandish possible interpretations of HTC, building on the variety of permutations first introduced in the ATL campaign.

The Change ad creative was developed by HTC’s global agency 171 WorldWide ‘with the media’ campaign managed by Omnicom Group’s M2M Media and on-going PR activity provided by Nelson Bostock Group in EMEA and Waggener Edstrom in North America.