Ogilvy Bags Lenovo Group Account

Personal computer maker Lenovo Group, which late last year purchased IBM’s “Think”-branded line of notebook products, tapped WPP’s Ogilvy & Mather network to handle worldwide brand advertising. Interactive duties will go to OgilvyOne, OgilvyInteractive and mOne.

The move essentially keeps the brands on the same track, as Ogilvy has long served as IBM’s advertising agency of record.

“Ogilvy has a proven record in building global brands and is the ideal partner to help us around the world,” said Deepak Advani, Lenovo’s CMO, in a statement.

Though John Montgomery, senior partner and CEO of mOne North America, cautioned that the firm was still in the planning stages with the new client, he said he expected Lenovo’s commitment to online to be considerable.

“The IBM PC division has been a strong supporter of online,” he said. “We have no reason to think that it’d be any different [under Lenovo].”

Lenovo says it’s one of the top three companies in the PC business worldwide, bringing in around $13 billion in revenues annually.

The first ads to arise from the new relationship will begin appearing in business-oriented print publications this month. The company will also do extensive marketing surrounding the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games and the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.