CASE: Above & Beyond

ABOVE+BEYOND & OnePlus

ABOVE+BEYOND is part of the Beyond Collective which brings together diverse talents from the worlds of film, music, PR, branding, production, media and advertising to help clients create enduring cultural connections between their brands and their audiences.

An example of the approach of ABOVE + BEYOND'S can be found in its work for One Plus.

OnePlus brand

Entering the smartphone scene as recently as 2014, Chinese manufacturer OnePlus seemingly came from nowhere to sell more than 1.3 million units of its first handset.

OnePlus has a huge community of fans, including 1.3 million forum members from more than 183 countries, who help guide all product development through their feedback. It’s a brand formed on co-creation and relentless development, one which has been growing year on year across the globe.

The relationship

After it won a pitch in 2018, ABOVE+BEYOND’s relationship with OnePlus grew in strength. As the brand has grown into different markets, the relationship remit has expanded to deliver product launch campaigns in Europe, China, North America and India across a mixture of on and offline channels.

ABOVE+BEYOND’s ability to adapt to different working methods and to use technology to collapse geographical boundaries, has been key to its exporting successes.

Its adoption of WeChat, the popular Chinese social media platform, as a primary communication method has ensured that potential obstacles like firewalls haven’t affected its projects. Similarly, a shift in working patterns to fit in with international time-zones has been essential to keep to deadlines and also to ensure consistency with team relationships.

This nimble and agile approach has enabled Above+Beyond to work with OnePlus to create award-winning campaigns which reflect the progressive nature of the brand.

The #NeverSettleFilm campaign – where the OnePlus community directed advertising via the YouTube comments box - was the most successful device launch in OnePlus history, while the Unlock Your Speed app for the OnePlus 6T device engaged over half a million users and grew the OnePlus fanbase by 200 per cent globally.

No one size fits all when it comes to exporting creativity, but ABOVE+BEYOND has found that a nimble and flexible approach to client relationships, and creative platforms which work on both a global and local level, are crucial to its successful relationship with OnePlus.

This case first appeared in the ‘The UK Advertising Exports Report’ published by the Advertising Association in March 2019.

The UK agency marketing Chinese brands