Case Study: How OPPO India’s campaign used a life-sized CGI model to garner over 600M views

OPPO India recently launched its latest campaign for the all-new OPPO Reno12 Series, #YourEverydayAICompanion, featuring the series’ brand ambassador Ranbir Kapoor and a life-sized CGI model - the OPPO AI Avatar. The OPPO AI Avatar, designed specifically for this campaign, highlights the phone's AI features by acting as Ranbir's companion, showcasing their seamless integration into everyday life.

Brand Introduction

OPPO India, one of the leading smartphone brands in India, is known for its cutting-edge technologies and user-centric innovations. The Reno Series, in particular, has been celebrated for its camera capabilities and now, with the Reno12 Series, its advanced AI features. This series is designed to be a companion for everyday tasks and creative pursuits. 

With evolving consumer needs, users are now looking for smartphones that offer more than basic communication—they seek devices that enhance productivity, provide entertainment, and assist with daily tasks. The Reno Series has responded to these demands by integrating advanced AI technologies, aiming to deliver a seamless and intuitive experience.

Summary

OPPO India managed to stand out with a campaign that showcases the everyday AI capabilities of the new device. The series comprises four short films where Ranbir uses the OPPO Reno12 Series’ AI features to seamlessly address various challenges and improve his smartphone experience. By incorporating familiar situations enhanced by the smartphone's technology, the campaign aims to forge a connection between the product and its practical benefits.

Objective

The #YourEveryDayAICompanion campaign was aimed at showcasing the AI capabilities of the OPPO Reno12 series. The idea was to create content pieces that are very snackable with a tinge of humour and also informative to communicate the ease of use and range of functionality of OPPO's AI package. In short, the brand wanted people to get an understanding of what OPPO's AI package offers without making the showcase too elaborate.

Brief

From the start, the intent was to have a campaign that not only showcased the product strengths but also humanised the AI aspect. The campaign needed to balance both - clarity and of understanding of the features and convey the ease and dependability of usage. 

The key affinity that the brand wanted to double down on was travel and that served as the main theme of the campaign. Mindful of social media consumption patterns, the objective was to make a series of short films that focus on individual features rather than long-form unboxing.

Creative Idea

To humanise and bring alive the OPPO AI package, the brand thought of making it interactive and engaging through a medium that one might relate with - an avatar. This OPPO AI avatar was a bespoke CGI model meant to be introduced as a companion to our protagonist who makes his life as simple as possible, with just a tap or two on the phone screen.

The Avatar was carefully crafted to look and be futuristic while also being friendly, keeping in mind brand colours and visual cues to ensure that the OPPO AI Avatar is unquestionable OPPO. 

The main creative thought was to have the protagonist - Ranbir Kapoor alongside the futuristic and tech-savvy OPPO AI Avatar. The duo is seen vacationing by the beach, where Ranbir's AI companion assists him in resolving challenges with quick solutions, showcasing the advanced capabilities of the OPPO AI package on the OPPO Reno12 Series.

Challenges

The biggest challenge was to explain the AI feature set on the OPPO Reno12 Series in detail while ensuring that the content pieces are not too long or convoluted.

Execution 

Designing the 3D CGI model for the OPPO AI Avatar was a meticulous process that involved extensive experimentation. The team focused on creating a life-sized model with intricate details to ensure a unique and lifelike appearance. 

The process went through numerous trials and adjustments to achieve the desired level of realism and distinctiveness. The goal was to make the OPPO AI Avatar not just a visual marvel but also a relatable companion for users. The end result was a striking and unique CGI model that showcased the advanced technological capabilities of the brand-new OPPO Reno12 Series – enhancing the overall appeal and engagement of the campaign.

The campaign took the shape of four short content pieces. Traditional TV ads tapped into the national audience and generated awareness, parallelly digital platforms were used to reach out to the target audience and existing users at digital touchpoints to create excitement and intrigue around the product. 

Phase I: Ahead of the release of the films, there was widespread speculation online about Ranbir's new companion. This speculation stemmed from a seeded picture of Ranbir hanging out in and around the beach with an intriguing Avatar. In a follow-up Instagram reel, the audience saw Ranbir meet the OPPO AI Avatar and set the stage for a 'quick getaway'. 

Phase II: 

The second phase was the main films. In the first two ad films, Ranbir turns to his trusted OPPO AI to help improve his pictures – whether it's to un-photobomb his beach selfie or correcting his facial expression.

In the third and fourth films, the OPPO AI assists Ranbir in shopping for his family on a vacation and finding his friends on a remote island.

Results

The campaign resonated with the target audience across multiple touchpoints, garnering over 602M views across digital apps/platforms. This was also supported by more than 40+ TV channels with national and regional presence.

For OTT platforms, the films achieved view-through rates (VTRs) of over 90%, surpassing the industry benchmark of 80-85%.

On leading utility apps, innovative ad units achieved a click-through rate (CTR) of 1.45%, significantly higher than the industry benchmark of 0.5-0.8%.

Karan Dua, Head of Product Communications, OPPO India, said "With our new OPPO Reno12 series, we have brought the idea of 'Your Everyday AI Companion' to life with an OPPO AI Avatar. We truly believe that integrating generative AI into smartphones is transforming the user experience and the advanced AI features on the Reno12 Series are designed to make daily life easier and more fun, making it the perfect AI companion for everyone."