Video: Robert Downey Jr. Officially Arrives at HTC, Promotes Subversive Thinking

We have heard the rumors, but today HTC has officially announced that actor Robert Downey Jr. is going to be spearheading a marketing campaign for them. In his first YouTube video for the company, RDJ arrives at HTC HQ looking to change things up, suggesting that they should look into Humongous Tinfoil Catamarans.

All jokes aside, HTC is really hoping that RDJ with his new two-year advertising deal can bring some new marketing efforts to the company after being overshadowed by Samsung last year. According to HTC, this is only a part of the first phase of their advertising, which shows what HTC means to different people. Phase two will highlight HTC’s buzzwords like BoomSound and BlinkFeed. Finally, the third will show how HTC products “empower individuals to drive change in their own lives.” That all sounds well and good, but I just want to see RDJ in some longer commercials.

Do you think getting Tony Stark on board will help HTC in their marketing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpGUV6ZrYFw

HTC CHALLENGES STATUS QUO WITH NEW GLOBAL BRAND PLATFORM

‘Change’ marks bold new move by HTC in new brand position

Taipei, Taiwan – August 12, 2013 – HTC, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today unveiled its most powerful marketing campaign to date. The Change brand platform is a long-term strategy that celebrates HTC’s disruptive impact on the mobile industry over its 17-year history. Ushering in an innovative new approach that will transform the industry, the campaign will reach consumers through a broad spectrum of traditional and digital media outlets.

To mark the launch of the global platform, a new above-the-line campaign will be rolled out from August 2013. Featuring acclaimed actor and director, Robert Downey Jr., the first ad creative will screen on YouTube on 15th August, to be immediately followed by a series of cinema and TV executions.

Ben Ho, CMO of HTC comments, “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.”

The face behind the Change

Recognized 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 (WWP 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.

Celebrating the change-makers

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.

Changing the media mix

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 randomizer 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.