Native name 维沃移动通信有限公司 Industry Consumer electronics CEO Shen Wei (2009–) Founded 2009, Dongguan, China Parent organization BBK Electronics | Type Subsidiary Area served Worldwide Founder Shen Wei Headquarters Dongguan, China | |
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Key people Shěn Wěi
(President and CEO) Products Smartphones, Smartphone Accessories, Software, and Online Services Profiles | ||
Vivo is a Chinese multinational technology company that designs, develops, and manufactures smartphones, smartphone accessories, software, and online services. It was founded in 2009 in Dongguan, Guangdong. The brand utilises Hi-Fi chips in its smartphones. Software developed by the company includes the Vivo App Store, iManager, and a proprietary Android-based operating system called Funtouch OS.
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In 2012 Vivo released the X1, at the time the world’s thinnest smartphone. The X1 was also the first Vivo phone to use a Hi-Fi chip, developed by American semiconductor company Cirrus Logic. Vivo followed this up in 2013 by releasing the world’s first 2k-resolution screen phone, the Xplay3s. Other popular phones in the Vivo lineup include the X5Pro, the X5Max, and the Xshot.
Quickly becoming a major player in the smartphone industry, Vivo joined the ranks of the top 10 smartphone makers in the first quarter of 2015 with a global market share of 2.7%. With research and development centers in Shenzhen and Nanjing, the company employed 1,600 R&D personnel as of January 2016. Vivo smartphones is currently the sponsor for the IPL (Indian Premier League) editions 2016 and 2017.
Brand growth
Registered for the first time in 2009, Vivo has since become registered in over 100 countries around the world. Vivo began its international expansion in 2014 when it entered the Thai market. The company quickly followed this up by launching in India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and the Philippines.
Advertising campaigns
In 2014 Vivo and MTV Music Television established a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership working together to support Chinese artists in their attempts to win the MTV EMA award. As a sponsor of the MTV New Pie, a program aimed at cultivating new local musical talent, Vivo was able to showcase its brand and product line while supporting homegrown musical talent. Vivo also sponsors the Urban Zone and K Wave produced by MTV China.
In 2015 Vivo was able to shoot for the stars by partnering with 20th Century Fox’s blockbuster hit “The Martian”. In addition to co-producing a hugely successful TV spot, the two brands teamed up to send three lucky promotion winners to Cape Canaveral, Florida to visit the NASA training center. The Vivo Indonesia branch of this campaign was dubbed the Vivo SpaceXperience.
In October 2015 Vivo became the official sponsor of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the highest level professional cricket league in India, stealing the title sponsorship position from Pepsi. From 2015 through 2017 Vivo and the IPL have agreed to cooperate extensively in terms of sports events, media exposure and marketing campaigns.