In conversation with George Long, CEO OPPO Pakistan, AED, we discuss the effects and impacts of lockdowns on consumer spending patterns, OPPO's newest strategies to launch its stellar Reno 3 Pro device in these uncertain, challenging times, and a lot more.

The country is going through a challenging time. How has OPPO stepped forward to help Pakistan fight the pandemic?

George Long: Keeping its values, vision, and core of the brand in mind, OPPO made a contribution under corporate social responsibility.

The brand has donated Rs6.2 million to the Prime Minister Relief fund to help the people of Pakistan recover from the devastating impact of the Covid-19 outbreak.

As a brand we also extended advisory to our customers to ensure they stay safe by rolling out innovative and informative videos showing people how staying indoors can ensure their safety in these challenging times.

Has there been a shift in strategic planning considering the impact of the lockdown? Now that markets have reopened, what will be the brand's next steps? 

George Long: OPPO has always stayed committed to the people of Pakistan and is constantly evolving with the ever-growing consumer demands.

We are always devising marketing strategies after careful evaluation of market needs and desires. As everything is becoming digital, OPPO with its futuristic approach, launched Reno3 in the first-ever online launch event in Pakistan on 19th March 2020.

The launch has been received well by the masses.

With entertainment dwindling to a halt, OPPO is keeping its promise of amusing its audience in a first-ever move of hosting a music fiesta online.

The musical week kickstarted from April 19th, and hosted a line-up of some of the best talents of the country who performed live on the brand's official Facebook page.

The performances received millions of views and left an indelible mark on people as they tuned in to watch their favourite musicians play. 

As Ramazan approached, OPPO’s digital marketing strategy intensified.

Refreshing an otherwise dispiriting digital environment, the brand launched a series of TVCs this year to celebrate the joy and festivity Pakistanis are known to associate with the holy month of Ramazan.

In a bid to celebrate the joy of sharing special moments, OPPO's recent campaign will be giving away an OPPO Reno 3 Pro device to one lucky winner; the device carries a 20x digital zoom and 44MP dual punch hole camera, which makes it the perfect gift this Eid. 

With markets reopened and the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr right upon us, OPPO has announced a special discount on their latest OPPO Reno3 Pro; now the smartphone is available at a price of Rs64,999.

With this year's Eid TVC relighting traditional values, what were some of the key thoughts that led to the idea of reviving old, celebrated traditions? 

George Long:OPPO has stayed committed to the people of Pakistan with its sensitive, powerful and effective marketing strategies in the past and is continuing to pull the right strings to celebrate the spirit of the holy month this year as well.

Keen on celebrating the month of Ramazan to the fullest, Pakistanis make a conscious effort to keep alive the tradition of sharing religious and cultural traditions with each other. Identifying this insight, OPPO came up with an innovative strategy to produce unique renditions of old traditions, reminding poeple of the importance of reconnecting to their roots.

The latest TVC series is a montage of Pakistan’s breath-taking vistas coupled with technology and old traditions.

Here's a look at one of the TVCs:

In your opinion, will the market see growth like it did before the lockdown? What's your take on changes in customer spending patterns?

George Long:In the new marketing landscape innovation is the new game.

As more people are spending time at home, internet usage is even higher than normal. In this vein, we are coming up with innovative ideas to engage with consumers digitally as traditional mediums are no longer as effective.

This is the time to capitalise on the situation in an efficient and smart way.

For us, the key to resilience is the developing ongoing contingencies to mitigate the crisis, and OPPO is doing an excellent job at keeping users engaged through interactive digital campaigns.

With an operative marketing strategy that is destined to grow and evolve, we are definite that customers will be driven towards the brand.

This content is produced in paid partnership with OPPO Pakistan and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.