THE 14TH ANNUAL SHORTY AWARDS

The Shorty Awards honor the best of social media and digital. View this season's finalists!

Industry

See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Auto See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Beauty See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Business to Business See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Consumer Brand See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Education See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Entertainment See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Financial Services See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Fitness, Health, & Wellness
<br>See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Food & Beverage
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Strategy & Engagement

See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Brand Partnership See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Call to Action See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Community Management See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Creative Use of Technology See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> CTV/OTT See previous winners and honorees for Insights and Trends here.</a> <a href=https://shortyawards.com/17th/"https://shortyawards.com/category/16th/data-visualization">See previous winners and honorees for Data Visualization here.</a>"> Data & Insights See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Earned Media See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Event & Experiential See previous winners and honorees here.</a>""> Gamification See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Humor See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Innovative Media Buying Strategy See previous winners and honorees here.</a>""> Integration with Traditional Media See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Internal Communications See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> LGBTQ Community Engagement See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Micro-Influencer Strategy See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Multicultural Community Engagement See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Music & Dance See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> On a Shoestring See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Organic Promotion See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Paid & Amplification See previous winner and honorees here.</a>"> Physical and Digital Convergence See previous winner and honorees here.</a>"> Public Service Announcement See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Real Time Response See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> SEO & SEM See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Social Commerce See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Storytelling

Mastering the Moment: Lenovo’s Real-Time Social Strategy Drives Viral Engagement

Finalist in Real Time Response

Objective

At Lenovo, we believe real-time engagement is more than just responding to trends—it’s about creating genuine connections that leave a lasting impact. Instead of simply acknowledging viral moments, we find ways to become part of the narrative in a way that feels authentic and meaningful. 

When a former Lenovo commercial resurfaced as the backdrop for a real-life proposal, we didn’t just celebrate from the sidelines. We embraced the moment, congratulating the couple, gifting them laptops to honor their story, and sending a personalized package to commemorate their journey. 

For our Madison Square Garden partnership, we wanted the announcement to resonate as deeply as the city itself. By collaborating with Marty & Missy, two native New Yorkers known for their distinct humor and self-made friendship language, we ensured our message felt organic, playful, and true to NYC culture. 

As Jools’ “very demure” trend captivated audiences, we acted swiftly, gifting her a Yoga Book 9i and seamlessly integrating Lenovo into a conversation that was already shaping digital culture. And in celebration of World Book Day, we partnered with Mychal Threets, providing laptops to library patrons—championing accessibility and education while reinforcing Lenovo’s commitment to empowering communities. 

These moments weren’t just about visibility; they reflected Lenovo’s ability to engage with people in ways that feel natural, thoughtful, and relevant. By moving with speed and authenticity, we’re not just part of cultural conversations—we’re helping shape them. 

Strategy

Lenovo’s approach to real-time engagement, authentic storytelling, and influencer partnerships has led to several memorable and impactful moments, showcasing the power of culture-driven social media strategies. A viral moment arose when a former Lenovo commercial became the backdrop for a real-life proposal, amassing 23.5 million views on TikTok. Instead of merely acknowledging the moment, Lenovo embraced its role in the couple’s story, congratulating them and offering new laptops to honor how they first met. To make the experience even more special, we sent a personalized package with a custom-illustrated note and a bottle of champagne. This was more than a quick reaction—it was about creating a genuine emotional connection, turning a viral moment into a lasting brand experience that deepened engagement and brand affinity.

Similarly, for our Madison Square Garden partnership announcement, we took a unique approach by inviting native New Yorkers Marty Miller and Missy McIntosh to a Knicks game, where their signature humor and self-made friendship language brought an entertaining and culturally relevant twist to our reveal. The result was an unforgettable, organic integration of Lenovo into a moment that resonated with audiences. Further building on this strategy, we identified a viral TikTok trend led by creator Jools, known for the phrase "very demure." By acting swiftly, we collaborated with Jools on a video, sending her a Lenovo Yoga Book 9i to integrate our brand into this trending cultural moment. The result was a video that garnered over 2 million views and helped us gain 1,200 new followers, with an 8% engagement rate, more than double our average. This success underlined the importance of timely, authentic engagement in today’s fast-moving digital landscape.

To further extend our cultural relevance, we partnered with viral TikTok librarian Mychal Threets to celebrate World Book Day. Mychal’s influence in the book and literacy community made him the perfect fit for Lenovo’s commitment to education and creativity. We gifted him two Yoga Book 9i devices to donate to library patrons, ensuring that Lenovo’s support of education reached the right audience in a meaningful way. This partnership not only amplified our brand’s values but also fostered deeper connections with a community that shares our dedication to empowering individuals through technology. The success of these campaigns underscores Lenovo’s position as a brand that not only reacts quickly but builds genuine, lasting connections with its audience. 

Results

Our real-time engagement strategy is grounded in meeting our audience where they are—on any platform, in any conversation—while driving measurable impact. By prioritizing authenticity, speed, and creator-led storytelling, we’ve strengthened Lenovo’s brand presence and deepened audience connections. 

For the ThinkPad proposal, our response generated 420,000 likes on our comment in just over a week, making it the most-liked comment in Lenovo history. This organic engagement highlighted the value of participating in viral moments with sincerity and purpose. 

For our Madison Square Garden partnership, Marty & Missy, drove 4.5 million views on their video. Comments like “Genuinely the only commercials I will watch” proved how creator-led activations can turn brand announcements into engaging content. 

Acting swiftly on the "very demure" trend, we produced a 2 million-view video, gained 1,200 new followers, and achieved an 8% engagement rate—more than double our average. This activation demonstrated our ability to insert Lenovo into trending conversations at the right moment, driving visibility and growth. 

Additionally, partnering with Mychal Threets for World Book Day allowed us to experiment with Instagram collab posts, boosting engagement and reach. The positive sentiment around this collaboration further reinforced Lenovo’s commitment to supporting communities. 

Audience reactions like “Lenovo knows how to PR” and “This is how social media should be done” validate our approach—turning cultural moments into lasting brand connections. 

Media

Entrant Company / Organization Name

Lenovo

Links

Entry Credits