With a strong record of creating cutting-edge phones that are as forward-thinking as they are innovative, OPPO seems to have taken the lead in exploring into uncharted territories with its latest OPPO Reno Series– a smartphone that has created a huge buzz in the Middle East for its large, uninterrupted screen with a sleek pop-up selfie camera – and most importantly, an extremely impressive 60x digital zoom.

OPPO’s latest IMC (Integrated marketing communication) campaign for the OPPO Reno Series is just as remarkable in terms of reshaping the concepts of “Exploration” and “Leadership”. 

The “Lead the Species” campaign showcases the brand following a few millennials in their journey to Mars. It tells the story of how the human race rises into the new dawn of discovery on Mars by following three female and two male “heroes”. Using the Oppo Reno Series’ industry-leading 48-megapixel camera with up to 60x zoom feature the millennials document the historic moment on Mars. 

The insights behind “Mars”

“OPPO is not just a smartphone, but an accessory to fuel the creative potential of every trend-setter,” said Andy Shi, President of OPPO Middle East and Africa. OPPO smartphones are an illustration to how people can explore beyond their boundaries, he added.

The “exploration” and “leadership” themes are at the core of this IMC campaign and reinforce the brand values of the company. The Mars story builds on a previous OPPO Find X TVC that featured the highest paid footballer, Neymar, in a Mars story delivered ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Today, the OPPO Reno Series extends on this excellent vision and positioning.

The production, in collaboration with “And Us,” will go live in the GCC region in July 2019. However, there’s more to the campaign than meets the eye!  

Martin Coppen and Ale Burset directed the eye-catching campaign. Coppen, a veteran cinematographer known for his work with American Idol, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, and many other A-list celebrities, demonstrates his strong storytelling abilities in the OPPO Reno Series’ campaign; while Burset, a photographer from Argentina who has previously showcased powerful visual impact in campaigns with Nike, Volkswagen, Renault, combines well with Coppen on this IMC to leave a powerful, lasting visual impression. 

Furthermore, OPPO has also teamed up with Snapchat to bring a “Mars” filter, aiming to inspire millennials to become explorers and lead humanity, through the OPPO lens.

Making the magic happen

OPPO’s leadership and exploratory-oriented “Lead the Species” campaign is also inspired by the exploration programs undertaken by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the company confirmed. Its main aim is to inspire younger generations to seize the opportunity of the technology and explore the possibilities of life. 

Shot at Ischigualasto National Park in Argentina, the production uses avant-garde fashion and make-up sets to illustrate the new dawn of humanity. It features custom-made costumes, including an elaborate astronaut set against a backdrop of space ships. It showcases the building of satellite dishes, and in other shots we see the protagonists zooming on a photo to take a picture of a butterfly, which was constructed for the film. It’s truly impressive to note that the futuristic UFO and the spaceship were built specifically for the production, taking into consideration the measurements in comparison to the film actors. 

With the UAE expected to send its first astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri to space on Sept. 25, 2019, and other major space exploratory missions being scheduled around the globe, it won’t be surprising to see an OPPO phone in space, or even on Mars sometime in the future! Could this be a sign of things to come? Time will tell.

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