Malaysian Media Awards Winners Showcase

The Challenge
For the new One Max, HTC had a launch budget that is a fraction of Samsung S5 and iPhone 6. HTC market share was only 3% compared to the other 97% who either own a Samsung, Apple, Nokia, LG etc. So with such a low budget, how can HTC reach the 97% of Malaysia’s smartphone owners?

Insight, Strategy and the Idea
By the time a buyer reaches the retail outlet, Samsung’s and Apple’s mighty media budgets would have ensured they remain in the buyers’ shortlists. HTC needed a strategy to reach smartphone buyers before they even arrive at the retail outlets. HTC wanted buyers to be exposed to the One Max, while they are out of home and at point-of-sale, before they are ‘hijacked’ by retailers to consider Samsung or Apple. But to do so, HTC would need at least a few million One Max models. We decided to put the One Max into the consumer’s hands without using a single unit of One Max. The strategy will turn every Android and IOS devices into out- of-home digital screens and POS media HTC would replicate the One Max experience on every smartphone screen with a mobile rich banner which will ‘take over’ the home screen of any smartphone.

Media Execution
To be present in every user’s hands while they are out of home, mobile advertising was crucial as we could target non-HTC devices. The ad unit delivered the actual user experience of HTC One Max on any non-HTC device without requiring any additional application to be downloaded.

Results and Effectiveness
Average CTR : 1.40%, surpassing target by 40%!
Average CTR on iOS devices (primary target audience) : 1.70%, surpassing target by a whopping 70%!
Interaction rate : 1 minute and 18 seconds, surpassing target by a whopping 160%!