The Noise Problem: How Do You Get Gen Z to Care?
The internet is drowning in influencer collaborations. Everyone is doing them. No one remembers them.
Lenovo Legion wanted to break through this clutter and authentically engage with Gen Z gamers, a demographic that doesn’t just consume content, but scrutinizes it.
They can spot a scripted ad faster than you can say “sponsored post.”
The challenge? To cut through the digital noise in a way that felt organic, immersive, and most importantly—fun.
The Perfect Crossover Hit: Why Marshmello?
Enter Marshmello. A DJ? Yes. But more than that, a gamer, a digital icon, and the ultimate crossover act between music and gaming. With a built-in audience of millions who live and breathe gaming culture, he was the perfect partner.
The real question wasn’t if Lenovo should collaborate with him—it was how to do it in a way that felt like an experience rather than an ad.
The Insight: Gaming Never Stops—It Just Moves
For Gen Z gamers, gaming is fluid. There are no fixed slots or schedules—it’s woven into daily life. They jump into a game on their phones during a commute, hop onto Discord at night for a quick match, and seamlessly switch between solo and multiplayer sessions with friends worldwide. Gaming is a constant state, always within reach, always ready.
Lenovo Legion was built for this culture of instant access. But rather than telling gamers that, we needed to show them.
The answer? A two-pronged approach mirroring how they engage with gaming: a day-in-the-life narrative that reflected their habits and a digital scavenger hunt tapping into their curiosity and competitive drive.
The Strategy: Two Ways to Play*
1. Gaming On-the-Go: The Day-in-the-Life Narrative
We followed Marshmello on tour, showcasing how gaming fits into the gaps of his fast-paced life. Whether backstage, in transit, or winding down after a show, his Lenovo Legion laptop was always there, ready to boot up instantly—just like Gen Z gamers expect.
2. If You Hide It, They Will Hunt: The MelloHunt Challenge
Instead of calling attention to the product, we hid it. Laptops, peripherals, and gaming gear were subtly placed throughout Marshmello’s tour videos—on nightstands, backstage, in hotel rooms, even in his travel bag. Fans were challenged to hunt for these hidden Easter eggs and comment using #MelloHunt for a chance to win exclusive Lenovo Legion laptops and Marshmello gear.
By blending these two approaches—a narrative gamers could relate to and a challenge they couldn’t resist—we created an experience that was immersive and engaging. We transformed Lenovo Legion into hidden treasure inside Marshmello’s world. MelloHunt turned his Unwind With Me on Tour content into an interactive scavenger hunt. Every scene in the video contained hidden Lenovo Legion products—casually placed, seamlessly integrated, never called out. The only way to see them? Look closer.
Gaming the System (Literally)
Rather than just watching, fans played along, hunting for Lenovo Legion Easter eggs in Marshmello’s video content. Here’s how we made it happen:
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This Took Over the Internet
MelloHunt didn’t just capture Gen Z’s attention—it turned their feeds into a playground.
Beyond the numbers, MelloHunt successfully embedded Lenovo Legion into Gen Z gaming culture, proving that gaming isn’t a scheduled event anymore—it’s a lifestyle. By creating a campaign that felt like a game rather than an ad, Lenovo Legion became a brand that doesn’t just talk about gaming—it plays along.
MelloHunt wasn’t just a campaign. It was a moment in internet culture, and a playbook for how brands can turn content into an interactive movement.
