The service, called M-Zone, has been designed as an online community where users can "feel at home, talk to buddies, download stuff and explore articles and features". It's a space without rules and regulations, and is part of China Mobile's efforts to connect with the 16 to 25 age group in Zhejiang province.
OgilvyInteractive Beijing developed the online campaign, which included site creation, banner ads and screensavers. According to Dirk Eschenbacher, creative director at OgilvyInteractive Beijing, the M-Zone brand is not limited to telecom-related services, but will be expanded into a lifestyle offering. The company is using online ads, as well as a television, print and outdoor advertising.
The agency created seven banners, which were launched across 10 major China-based portals, including Sohu.com, Sina.com and Tom.com, in three phases.
The tagline on the banners read, 'It's time to do your own thing'.
Separate screensavers were created with a viral element for men and women using a detailed 'storyboard' idea.
"The M-Zone screensavers were designed as a functional little space of your own where you could get creative. We decided to place a few every day items around the desktop that would be movable, could react and interact with each other. In this way, the screensaver would never be boring."
, there will be constantly a different small story playing. The one for boys features a couple of toy cars racing around obstacles, the girl screensaver shows a butterfly flying from object to object.
According Eschenbacher, "Right now, M-Zone is quite the talk in the Chinese community. It started with a desktop stories, a series of screensavers, especially the 'girl' screensaver can be seen on the desks of countless white-collar workers.
"It became very viral as it is very interactive and 'cute'. Cute is still what the majority of Chinese online users are up for. By getting people to talk about their topics and not pushing the products into the foreground like its normally done in China, the site gained a big deal of credibility".
