If there’s anything that can be said about brands like OnePlus, is that disruption and innovation always pays off dividends. You don’t have to be a Samsung or a Nokia to be innovative, and brands are always coming up with better technology to offer to customers. It started with Xiaomi working directly with distributors and tech enthusiasts to offer a better product for the price range. Now, the spirit is being carried forward by companies like OnePlus that’s just launched the fastest phone in the market right now.
It went out of stock within days of launch, and it earned close to Rs 100 crore in the first 10 minutes of launch. That many phones being sold at the same time, deserves an explanation. Why did it sell out so fast? And what made this phone more unique than the rest? To put it simply, they’re invoking Jobs in a way that Apple hasn’t in the past few years: They’re providing a better product and experience to the customers.
Anytime you create a product that’s talk-worthy, you’re going to gain a lot of earned media. The OnePlus 6 has a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 845 and an 8GB ram making it faster than most personal computers out there. The price point is also competitive, when compared to the specifications offered by other brands. That’s why it’s a no-brainer for many early adopters to get the phone as soon as it launched.
"We sold last year's flagship-OnePlus 5T worth Rs 100 crore in an entire day of sale whereas this time we did the same in just 10 minutes," Vikas Agarwal, General Manager, OnePlus India said.
Pop-up stores
One of the greatest areas of success has been their ‘pop-up store’ approach in major cities. Thousands of people show up to these events, making them a successful buzz-generator in the community. From techies to college-goers, everyone shows up at these events to get a glimpse of the new phone. With OnePlus having a long-standing reputation of not disappointing, these events attract greater crowds each year.
“Since the OnePlus 2, we’ve held pop-ups for our new product launches in cities around the world, with hundreds of people turning up every time at each of them. It’s incredible to experience the passion and the excitement of our community during pop-ups, it’s a real celebration,” Carl Pei, Co-Founder OnePlus told Fonearena.
Building a fan base
The fan base of OnePlus is also one of the most dedicated ones in India. There aren’t a lot of products in the market with a fanbase resembling that of OnePlus. That’s been one of the biggest push areas for OnePlus each time they launch a new product. Their fans show up to every launch and push their products through word of mouth. Everyone leaves with exclusive merchandise, and fans are activated to talk about it further on social media. It’s also what brings the early majority to continue buying into the hype around the brand.
The startup-mentality
Another aspect that’s been playing well in their favour is the startup-mentality that they bring to the table. They are efficient and lean as an organization, making them one of the few companies that still adopts this style of execution while being this successful. They prefer being in this mode so that they can power better deals, make better phones and face adversities successfully.
“Internally, having this sort of spirit, energy, and drive of a startup to push innovation and to drive the company forward is a great thing, but externally we shouldn’t focus on calling ourselves a startup - we should focus on making great products,” Pete Lau, OnePlus CEO once said.
They’re incredibly lean and focus on the areas that bring maximum impact. Instead of opting for larger campaigns or traditional methods of push, they’re going with trusted celebrities and online integrations. OnePlus is doing things differently and working with value-based partners that can provide something beneficial to them.
Branding
Overall branding has also been consistent, channeling the inner fire that consumers had during the Jobs era of Apple. Their tagline “Never Settle” is the perfect way to describe their approach, making them a preferred brand in the industry. Each of their new variants come feature-packed and have a stylish design and sleek look. Their emphasis on speed is also a unique aspect, as not many smartphone makers out there are interested in that approach.
When it comes to the community, the brand and the presentation of the phone, the message always remains the same – ‘Never Settle’. That’s why people love buying into the overall theme of OnePlus and pick up the accessories and merchandise that they can find online. That’s been one of the biggest reasons for its stock-outs, its massive success and the incredible launch of its new flagship phone.
All views expressed are personal.