In October 2016 when Headstand was brought on board as Xiaomi's global agency, the smartphone maker was unknown to most media and consumers in the U.S. and Europe, overshadowed by rivals such as Samsung and Huawei. Hitting the pavement hard for their first U.S. launch, our team quickly put them on the map through an aggressive media relations strategy, including a media tour and product demos in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles with top-tier media such as Fast Company, CNN Business, Blomberg, CNET, TIME, Associated Press and broadcast segments featuring Xiaomi executives on CNN International's "Quest Means Business" and Bloomberg West. Between 2016 and 2017 alone, Xiaomi's share of voice had an overall 33% increase in the U.S.
A couple years later and with close to 100 product launches under our belt, the challenge moved from creating awareness to strategically managing media interest and ensuring each product release got its own unique moment that garnered attention among target audiences. The team expanded our focus from tech media and product reviewers to include influencers (paid and earned) in a cross section of verticals such as fashion, photography, travel, gaming and technology, and worked with each to create brand relevant content that resonated with both their and Xiaomi's audiences. Today, Xiaomi is now among the top three smartphone makers globally.