Leading technology brand Lenovo, in collaboration with MTV, have introduced the Lenovo-MTV CO:LAB. This an integrated social platform which enabled talented Millennials from Malaysia to share stories about their communities through music.
The concept of the six-month platform was to enable Malaysians to connect with like-minded individuals with different artistic skills across DJs, Vocalists/Instrumentalists, Film Makers or Motion Graphic Artists, where the winning talents across these four categories are determined by public votes through the Lenovo-MTV CO:LAB website and regional mentors.
Khoo Hung Chuan – Country General Manager – Lenovo Malaysia
We speak to Mr. Khoo Hung Chuan, Country General Manager of Lenovo Malaysia to shed some light on this initiative, in a Hype Malaysia Exclusive:
What is the concept behind Lenovo-MTV CO:LAB?
The CO:LAB campaign, in collaboration with MTV, enables Lenovo to provide the Millennial generation a platform to connect and collaborate with talented individuals from different countries, with different skill sets. Using technology, Millennials have the ability to transform their musical skills and ideas into something real that has the potential to impact their future.
The campaign is an online space that brings together the most progressive, creative and talented Millennials from each country to share stories about themselves and their community through different aspects of music.
As innovative companies, with dynamic brand personalities, Lenovo and MTV are focused on the Millennial generation who don’t just dream about achieving, but go out there and do. Both brands support the mindset of creative, optimistic and ambitious people who will stop at nothing to accomplish their goals.
Lenovo-MTV COLAB Mentor (MY) – DJ Goldfish
Tell us a little bit more about the current collaborations with artists.
In collaboration with MTV, CO:LAB participants were given an online platform where the most creative, progressive and talented Millennials can showcase their artistic creations as DJs, Vocalists/ Instrumentalists, Film Makers or Motion Graphic Artists, and can actively transform their skills and ideas into something real, something that has the potential to impact their future.
Local and regional mentors will play a pivotal role throughout the campaign. As such, local mentor DJ Goldfish will assist in short listing the Top 10 finalists in each of the four creative-industry verticals which are; Film Maker, Graphic Designer, Vocalist and Musician, and DJ.
Industry icons, DJ Brendan P, DJ Matty Wainright and Phunk Studio, will act as regional mentors and will engage with regional winners in two instances. First, using Skype, regional mentors will connect with winners for six weeks prior to the 5-day Workshop, providing them with guidance on what they can expect during the Workshop and how they can improve their skills. In this six-week period, MTV will profile each of the winners and share their stories. At the Workshop itself, regional mentors will coach winners throughout the workshop as they collaborate together to produce a music video.
By participating in CO:LAB, the regional and local mentors further exemplify the spirit of the “For Those Who Do” campaign.
As an incentive, country winners for each creative-industry vertical were awarded a Lenovo Yoga (Malaysia: a Lenovo Yoga 11), a laptop that combines the productivity of an Ultrabook with the touch experience of a tablet. The Yoga’s screen flips a full 360 degrees into four modes that make it easy to create, share or consume content.
What is happening currently for the project?
Regional winners are currently working with DJ Brendan P, DJ Matty Wainright and Phunk Studio to produce a new feature music video that will showcase their talents and give them a chance to shine when the video is broadcast throughout three regions in Asia – ASEAN, India and Japan.
After the production of the video, the top four winners, one representing each industry vertical, will received a cash prize of USD10,000.
The four Malaysia-based frontrunners, Darren Ashley, Danial Nazreen, Joel Raj, and Muhammad Hafiz Mohtar Rasali, emerged from a highly competitive field based on their exceptional portrayal of the theme ‘Pulse of Your City’. Darren Ashley’s Vocalist and Musician project was a spontaneous song composed and recorded in one day using Kaoss Pads. The project represents the pulsating heart of Kuala Lumpur hence, aptly named “Heartbeat”. Danial’s DJ entry was an original piece that captured the hearts of Malaysians. While Muhammad Hafiz’s Motion Graphic Design submission was a colourful insight into Malaysia as a bubbling, bustling melting-pot of cultures that coexist in peace. Joel Raj’s entry showcased the various aspects that make up the pulse of the city through his insightful visual film piece.
What do you expect to gain out of this campaign?
CO:LAB is an extension of Lenovo’s “For Those Who Do” brand position that reflects who we are as a company (entrepreneurial, unique, global); what we make (highest quality PCs and personal technology); and the mind-set of our target customers (youth, consumers, people who are actively engaged in the world and need technology that helps them do more).
CO:LAB represents a long-term commitment by Lenovo to engage with the Millennial generation who are actively engaged in the world, need technology to help them do more, and who want to make things happen in order to turn their dreams into reality.
The campaign aims to inspire and encourage the Millennial generation across countries to be a part of something creative, inspirational and original, by connecting, collaborating and creating using technology, through music.
At the end of the campaign, we hope to have inspired individuals to collaborate across borders in order to turn their dreams into reality.
How is Lenovo involved with MTV this year?
Lenovo and MTV are currently focused on the final production of the original MTV music video that will reflect the new experiences this platform is enabling for the regional winners (Karan Bedi from India who’s Guitar Drumming portraying the theme ‘Pulse of Your City’ , Yuji Mitsuhashi from Japan who was awarded for his Film – making project, Ron Roumsub from Thailand for his Motion Graphic Artist presentation, and Nick Chan from Singapore for his DJ project), as they represent and share Asia’s Millennials’ hopes, dreams, talent, ambition and diversity.
What do you think about the performing arts industry in Malaysia? How will this campaign benefit the industry?
The campaign does not specifically focus on the performing arts scene in Malaysia but it does encourage future participants to creatively incorporate this form of art as Malaysia’s performing arts scene is one of the most exciting and fastest growing around the region today.
Recent years have seen the increase of interest in the industry by enthusiasts around the region and neighbouring countries like Singapore and Indonesia. The Malaysian performing arts scene has come a long way however, in order to thrive, the industry does need local support and perhaps future Lenovo-MTV CO:LAB campaigns will be able to direct support towards it.