XPERIA ION

Creating a Winning Proposition for Sony’s Smartphone Debut in the US Market

To launch the first Sony-branded smartphone in the US, Sony needed to develop a strong point of differentiation to stand out and appeal to consumers in what was becoming an increasingly fragmented smartphone market.

Amidst a sea of sameness where handset manufacturers were looking to best the next by focusing on marginally better tech and specs, we instead sought to stoke the imagination of our target consumer - the entertainment enthusiast - positioning the Xperia ion as a gateway to the most immersive and entertaining experience made possible through the best in Sony tech and content. We anchored the proposition across four experience pillars that our entertainment enthusiasts valued most and that the Sony brand could competitively deliver on: Play, Watch, Connect, and Create.

This served as the strategic foundation for the integrated agency team brief to deliver Sony’s first US marketing push in the mobile space. The campaign spanned TV, OOH, digital, social, PR, media sponsorships, and product placement/integrations, ultimately doubling brand awareness for Sony in mobile and delivering on target sell-through of the Xperia ion.

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Role: Integrated Agency Lead & Comms Strategist
Creative: McCann New York
PR, Influencer, Social + Events: Burson-Marsteller
Paid: PHD
Retail & Activation: Iris