Year
2021
Client
OnePlus, T-Mobile
Category
Digital, Experiential
In early 2021, livestream fatigue was real and budget 5G phones were flooding the market. We needed to cut through the noise, spotlight OnePlus’s first U.S. prepaid devices, and give Metro customers a reason to care—without an in-person launch or a Hollywood-sized budget.
We turned a standard phone drop into a cultural moment. Leaning on OnePlus’s “Never Settle” ethos, the team designed a virtual concert that felt more like a game: live trivia, chat-driven set-list changes, surprise merch drops, and cash prizes up to $10K—all optimized for 5G viewing. Ty Dolla $ign’s performance was filmed cinematically and woven into a narrative arc that highlighted speed, connection, and community.
Microsite & RSVP Hub: TheDrop.OnePlus.com funneled traffic from social and allowed fans to customize their viewing experience.
Interactive Livestream Platform: Built-in polls, real-time giveaways, and social-sharing prompts kept viewers tapping.
Social Amplification: Countdown teasers, behind-the-scenes clips, and #OnePlusTheDrop stickers drove conversation across TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.
Everything was produced remotely in just six weeks, aligning with Metro’s nationwide in-store roll-out of the Nord N-Series.
Record Engagement: Thousands of concurrent viewers stayed for an average of 28 minutes—triple the benchmark for branded livestreams at the time.
Retail Lift: Metro by T-Mobile reported a spike in same-week Nord N10 5G activations, citing “The Drop” as a key driver.
Brand Equity: The program reinforced OnePlus’s “premium for all” positioning and marked the brand’s first successful entry into the U.S. prepaid market.
Cultural Buzz: Earned coverage from tech and music outlets plus organic social chatter extended campaign reach well beyond launch day.
