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Welcome to Yellow Chili Campaigns where I highlight cool stuff in marketing campaigns to help you get fresh ideas and actionable insights to sell more and grow your business.
These days, it feels like the internet is full of influencer collabs. Everyone is doing them, but most people forget them five minutes later.
Lenovo Legion wanted to do something different, something that would actually connect with Gen Z gamers. This is a group that scrutinizes content; they don’t just watch it. I mean, they can spot a fake ad in seconds. The goal was to make something that cuts through the noise and feels real, engaging, and fun.
Marshmello is a DJ. He is also a gamer, a digital icon, and basically the poster child for blending music with gaming. With millions of fans who eat, sleep, and breathe gaming culture, he was no doubt a perfect fit. The question wasn’t whether Lenovo Legion should collaborate with him; it was how to make it feel like a real experience, not just another ad.
For Gen Z, gaming isn’t something you plan; it is just part of life. There is no set time or place. They might play on their phone while commuting, jump on Discord at night for a quick round, and switch easily between solo play and gaming with friends across the world. It’s always there, ready whenever they are.
Lenovo Legion was made for this always-on style. But instead of just saying that, they wanted to show it.
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So what was the game plan? Lenovo Legion had two ideas that match the way they game: a “day in the life” story showing their everyday habits and a digital scavenger hunt that played into their curiosity and love for competition.
Gaming Anywhere: A Day with Marshmello
Lenovo Legion spent a day with Marshmello on tour to see how gaming fits into his busy schedule. Backstage, on the road, or relaxing after a show, his Lenovo Legion laptop was always ready to fire up in seconds, just the way Gen Z gamers like it.
If You Hide It, They Will Hunt: The MelloHunt Challenge
Instead of showing off the products, Lenovo Legion hid them. Laptops, accessories, and gaming gear were tucked away in Marshmello’s tour videos, on nightstands, backstage, in hotel rooms, even in his travel bag. Fans had to spot these hidden items and comment with #MelloHunt for a chance to win exclusive Lenovo Legion laptops and Marshmello merch.
The brand combined two things gamers love, which are a story they could connect with and a challenge they wouldn’t want to miss. MelloHunt transformed Marchmello’s Unwind With Me on Tour series into an interactive scavenger hunt. Every scene had Lenovo Legion gear, placed casually and never pointed out. The only way to find them was to pay close attention.
ICYMI
MelloHunt is an example of an Influencer Marketing Campaign.
The campaign earned 7.1 million engagements and 386 million impressions. While Lenovo Legion gained 6000 new followers and a 72.86% retention rate on TikTok, proving that gamified content holds attention.
🍉 Action Points
Start with culture, not product - Gen Z doesn’t schedule “gaming time.” Gaming happens in spare moments, across devices, anywhere. Understand the daily habits, values, and quirks of your audience. Build the campaign around how they live, not just what you sell.
Choose the right influencer - Marshmello is popular and he is also relevant to the gaming culture. His identity (music + gaming + digital persona) naturally overlapped with Lenovo Legion’s brand. So don’t just go for follower count, go for natural alignment between influencer lifestyle and brand promise.
Show, don’t tell - Find ways to demonstrate your brand in action instead of just talking about features. Let the product appear as part of the scene, not the center of it.
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