Who is Johnny X?

I need help.
I don’t know who I am.
And I need to find out first.
- Johnny X

Would it be very interesting if you could sell your product in a form of James Bond-like and Bourne Identity-like movie with the additional elements of thriller and mystery? Well, that was what Sony Ericsson did in 2008. Sony Ericsson went viral with Xperia X1 marketing. The mobile company made used of the world wide web by creating a nine-part of "Webisode" which portray a mysterious character named Johnny X, who was trying to piece together his personality and identity (Ccsinsight.com). Each episode is from two to three minutes long which followed Johnny X as he used his X1 mobile phone to try and piece together elements of his life following a kidnap by a gang.

Audience was entertained with the “alternative reality thriller” with a number of action-packed chases which can be viewed in YouTube (Techindia.forumr.net). According to Ccsinsight.com, the theme of the video was relevant to Sony Ericsson as the company is seeking to redefine itself as it struggles to differentiate its product line up from those of rivals such as Apple, Samsung, and Nokia. The award-winning campaign had attracted many interests among mobile phone users as it is being viewed and shared by them.




Who is Johnny X Trailer
(The rest of the episode can be viewed in YouTube
As the competition between smart phones has become overwhelming, Sony Ericsson needs to design a marketing strategy that is different from others. Basically, Sony Ericsson had designed an interesting product campaign by enticing the public’s curiosity as well as connects with the “coolness” of Xperia X1. The webisode also relates with the company’s initiative to position itself again. By doing so, Sony Ericsson is able to create greater awareness about its latest product and eventually increase it sales.

References:
10 Social Media Campaigns That Rock! Learn How To Do the Same. Retrieved on 7 June 2012, from http://blog.thoughtpick.com/2009/06/10-social-media-campaigns-that-rock-learn-how-to-do-the-same.html
Sony Ericsson goes viral with Xperia X1 marketing. Retrieved on 7 June 2012, from http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/11/sony-ericsson-goes-viral-with-xperia-x1-marketing/ http://techindia.forumr.net/t184-sony-ericsson-goes-viral-with-xperia-x1-marketing
BusinessWeek: Can Xperia Redefine Sony Ericsson? Retrieved on 7 June 2012, from http://www.ccsinsight.com/press/media-coverage/870-businessweek-can-xperia-redefine-sony-ericsson