Is China ready for Buddy Lee?

Client: Lee Jeans

Agency: TBWA Hong Kong

Market: Greater China

Campaign scope: Online films and WeChat activity

Facts: The brand released three films that showcase its 101+ series while its "iconic cowboy mascot", Buddy Lee, visits a Chinese city with a local celebrity tour guide: Shanghai with Xiaojun (above and on youku), the Hutongs of Beijing with Mike Sui and Guangzhou with Merlin. The spots end with a call to action for fans to post their own photos of the cities on a WeChat site for a chance to win a pair of jeans.

Press release quote: "Shot from Buddy’s one-foot perspective, the films give the audience a sneak peek into Lee’s 101+ denim series, which has small and thoughtful design details into the patches, rivets and stitches."

Comments: Although Buddy Lee goes way back, we're not sure how familiar, let alone "iconic", he is to consumers in China, so having local celebs give him a tour and an intro seems like a savvy decision. Video views on Youku are quite low so far, but the campaign has only just launched.