Turning dry data into actionable lead gen
Lenovo wth NVIDIA
Every year, Lenovo commissions IDC to survey thousands of IT decision-makers on the state of AI adoption, to write the Lenovo CIO Playbook. A goldmine of insight, it’s also a dense statistical piece that’s invaluable to anyone with the time to study it, but potentially invisible to anyone without.
Over consecutive years, we helped Lenovo leverage this research to create actionable engagement with IT leaders, by creating a series of videos in the Lenovo brand illustrative style.
With our combined B2B tech experience and creative-led strategy, we reframed research findings into business-relevant value, using relatable character animations in on-brand, compelling video assets made to bring people to the data with their interest already engaged, and generate warm leads for Lenovo’s infrastructure teams.
The destination
The challenge was to take statistical AI research and turn it into content that would connect with time-poor CIOs, convert dense data into visual narratives, and move audiences from awareness to action. To do this we had to craft creative that met Lenovo’s prescriptive illustration and brand guidelines, while feeling fresh, human, and relatable.
The strategic thread across all the videos was to shift the audience’s perception from “AI is fast-moving and abstract” to “Lenovo has the insight and experience to help you make AI actionable today,” positioning Lenovo as the perfect partner to envision, build, and manage enterprise AI adoption journeys.
The route
Our B2B technology experience was critical. We didn’t just illustrate the data, we found the narrative tension, and built character-led stories around it. A CIO navigating the relentless pace of change… A leadership team with visible skills gaps… A confident resolution when the right partner comes into the picture.
With reams of research and data points to consider, distilling what would be most intriguing to the audience was part of the creative discipline that made the work resonate. Year one delivered a 90-second hero video and 30-second cutdown. Year two expanded the series to an infographic narrative (60s, 30s, 15s and 6s cuts across 16:9 and 1:1) plus a new AI Discovery workshop video (60s and 30s) with a direct lead-generation CTA.
The Walk
Turning dry data into relatable stories, each video followed a character-led arc that translated statistics into narratives that spoke to human pain points. The research remained central, but it was proffered through a human lens that elevated the meaning beyond just a spray of data points.
The videos also made the data more actionable, establishing and framing a genuine need for IT leaders before putting forward logical next steps: assess your AI readiness, craft an adoption roadmap that lowers risk and accelerates time to value. This narrative craft is the difference between a sales-y pitch and presenting a helpful solution to a relevant need.
The pace of change: IT leaders confronted by the speed and pressure of AI adoption
Challenges are illustrated through relatable characters and scenarios
IDC data points are brought to life in the stories, not just overlaid
Lenovo’s role as a solutions provider is humanised in the context of protagonists
The Lenovo AI Discover workshop is promoted for businesses looking for guidance on AI adoption strategies and architectures
Watch the full videos
The Lenovo CIO Playbook video - From statistical research to a relatable story for CIOs and IT leaders
Lenovo CIO Playbook AI Discover video - Using trend data to spark interest in enterprise AI consulting
