Reinventing Tech Marketing: Motorola RAZR
Revolutionizing the Korean Mobile Market with Design-Driven Marketing
Challenges
Motorola sought to reestablish itself in the competitive Korean mobile market with the launch of the RAZR phone. The challenges included:
The dominance of local manufacturers like Samsung (65% market share) and LG leaves foreign brands with minimal opportunities.
A consumer preference for tech-centric features over design, especially in a market known for early adoption of cutting-edge technology.
Limited relationships with tech journalists, who heavily influenced public perception and often favored domestic brands.
Objectives
Position the Motorola RAZR as a design innovation in a technology-driven market.
Expand Motorola’s market share from 9% to over 15%.
Build sustainable relationships with Korean media and influencers to enhance brand visibility.
Key Actions
Consumer Research and Targeting:
Conducted focus group interviews to identify target demographics, discovering that 60% of participants valued the RAZR’s slim design.
Positioned the RAZR as a fashion-forward device, appealing to trendsetters rather than tech enthusiasts.
Integrated Media and Marketing Campaigns:
Collaborated with top fashion designers to create custom RAZR designs, showcased in magazines like Vogue and GQ.
Partnered with designer Juun.J to create exclusive phone accessories unveiled at Seoul Fashion Week, increasing visibility in fashion and lifestyle markets.
Innovative Press Engagement:
Organized experiential press events, such as a creative product launch featuring a sword dance performance, to captivate journalists.
Introduced a mobile press conference bus for product variants, which increased attendance and media coverage by 90%.
Cross-Industry Exposure:
Secured partnerships with high-end department stores to display the RAZR as a fashion accessory, bridging the gap between technology and lifestyle.
Key Results
Grew Motorola’s Korean market share from 9% in 2003 to 20% in 2006.
Tripled media coverage of Motorola in 2004 compared to the previous year.
Pioneered the intersection of technology and fashion, creating a new market segment for design-driven mobile phones.
Impact
Redefined how technology brands could leverage fashion to penetrate competitive markets.
Introduced a press engagement strategy that set new standards for the Korean PR industry.
Positioned the RAZR as a cultural icon, influencing future trends like the iPhone’s emergence as a fashion statement in the tech industry.
Brand
Motorola RAZR phones
Year
Oct 2004-Jan 2007
Client
Motorola Mobile
Industry
Tech (Mobile)