Consumer electronics manufacturer OnePlus has chosen MSix&Partners as its North American media agency of record.
The GroupM agency will provide media strategy and planning with an emphasis on broadening its investments to new channels to reach a wider audience of smartphone and gadget users, branching out from the niche tech enthusiast and gamer segments that currently use OnePlus products such as phones, earbuds and smartwatches.
“We want our agency to address several challenges,” said Jay Liu, head of marketing at OnePlus. “Our media insights, strategy and buying tactics are still lagging behind a little bit.”
The electronics company looked for an agency that could stretch a relatively small marketing budget in a market filled with giant competitors like Apple, Google and Samsung.
OnePlus awarded MSix the account after a short RFP process that began in August and concluded in September. The agency pitched on Sept. 14 and won early the following week.
Etienne DeLisle, managing director at MSix, heads the OnePlus account with a team of five focused on client leadership and media planning. The account’s analytics, strategy, audience planning and media execution team fluctuates depending on each campaign.
Partnered with WPP and born as a joint venture between independent agency network The&Partnership and GroupM, MSix has an understanding of working with a small budget while boasting backing from a large media company, said Kim Sivillo, MSix North America CEO.
MSix North America has about 150 employees and $275 million in billings, she said.
“We’re in such similar places in our journey,” she said of OnePlus. “I’m looking to double that [business] next year, and I know that OnePlus wants to double their sales and their clients.”
Liu declined to disclose budget details for the new partnership, but estimated that OnePlus’ media spend is “One-fifth to one-tenth of its competitors.” He also declined to provide specific growth goals for the company, but said that he hopes to grow brand awareness and command a larger share of the original equipment manufacturer market.
While planning for 2023, MSix is currently handling media that OnePlus already planned before awarding the account, including a co-marketing campaign with Google that targets gamers with a focus on the OnePlus 10T’s gaming mode.
MSix is identifying specific North American consumer groups to convert into OnePlus smartphone owners.
“We’re not going to get the Apple lovers,” Sivillo said. “We can get very precise in terms of knowing that we are targeting to conquest people who have certain models of Samsung or Google phones … so we’re not wasting any dollars.”
MSix has grown its media billings by 31% over the past two years as a result of new client wins including Discovery, Jabra, Puma and Plenity.
This article first apeared on Campaign: https://www.campaignlive.com/article/oneplus-selects-msix-partners-its-north-american-media-aor/1807240