Despite Lenovo Yoga being a laptop series designed with creators in mind, it struggled to gain significant market share, especially in the face of stiff competition from brands like Apple MacBook. In India, while Apple’s MacBook saw its market share double year-over-year, Lenovo’s share remained relatively stagnant.

As the tech landscape continued to evolve and cater more towards creative professionals, Lenovo recognised the need to reassert the capabilities of their Intel-powered Yoga laptops. The challenge was to remind creative individuals, particularly the influential Gen Z demographic, that a Lenovo Yoga is more than just a laptop – it’s a powerful companion for creators.

Lenovo aimed to shake things up and capture the attention of the creative community. They needed a fresh and innovative approach that would resonate with their target audience and highlight the Yoga series as a creator’s best friend – a device that could not only keep up with their creative demands but also push the boundaries of their artistic expression.

Inspired by India’s rich artistic heritage and the growing influence of technology in art, in collaboration with FCB Kinnect, we created a two-part reality series called “Brave New Art” for Lenovo. The series took audiences behind the scenes of creative processes, showcasing collaborations between artists from diverse artistic mediums.

In the first episode, Lenovo paired a practitioner of Kalaripayattu – one of the oldest martial arts in the world – with a virtual reality (VR) artist. This unlikely duo was tasked with creating art by blending the ancient martial art form with cutting-edge technology like the Tilt Brush, which allows users to paint in a 3D virtual space.

The second episode tackled a question that was on the minds of many creators in 2023: “Will AI be the death of Art?” Lenovo invited two next-generation artists, one specialising in AI and the other in 3D art, to explore the advancements in artificial intelligence and create a virtual future museum. This challenged them to imagine what art and museums might look like a century from now, pushing the boundaries of their creative thinking.

By bringing together artists from diverse backgrounds and equipping them with Lenovo’s powerful Yoga laptops, the company aimed to showcase the machines’ capabilities in handling even the most demanding creative tasks. The strategy was to inspire audiences by demonstrating how Lenovo’s devices could empower artists to push the limits of their creativity and explore uncharted territories in art.

The execution of “Brave New Art” was a meticulously crafted endeavour aimed at creating an authentic and relatable experience for the audience. The production design and colour palettes were carefully curated to reflect the diverse artistic backgrounds of the collaborators, with a seamless blend of traditional and contemporary elements, fostering an atmosphere of creative exploration and boundary-pushing innovation.

The lighting techniques employed were designed to strike a balance between the rich heritage of ancient art forms and the vibrancy of modern technologies. Careful attention was paid to ensuring that the artists’ expressions and emotions were effectively conveyed, allowing the audience to connect with their creative journeys on a deeper level.

The wardrobe choices for the artists were casual and comfortable, reflecting the natural settings of their creative processes, while also allowing for subtle differences in attire to convey their unique artistic identities and the juxtaposition of their mediums.

The music and editing were meticulously crafted to complement the emotional beats of each artist’s creative journey, enhancing the atmosphere and mood without overpowering the dialogue or the artistic process itself. This seamless and well-paced storytelling experience allowed the audience to fully immerse themselves in the creative odyssey unfolding before them.

Through these thoughtful creative choices, “Brave New Art” aimed to forge a genuine connection with the audience, showcasing Lenovo Yoga’s seamless integration into the lives and creative processes of its target demographic – artists and creators pushing the boundaries of their craft.

The series reached an audience of 25 million and was among the top 10 viewed English-language content on Disney+ Hotstar in January 2024. Lenovo’s Brand Query Share (Google Search%) increased from 18.41% to 19.07%, and interest for “Lenovo Yoga” spiked from 29 to 100 (peak popularity, highest in the category) on the launch day (Google Share of Search Report Dec ’23).