The archive · Marketing & Growth · Marketing decision · 2014
Xiaomi Mi 4 Launch: 'Artistic Journey of a Steel Plate'
In July 2014, Lei Jun named Xiaomi Mi 4 launch 'Artistic Journey of a Steel Plate', using steel-frame story to present brand as craftsmanship.
Xiaomi (小米)
What it had to solve
Xiaomi Mi 4 launched in 2014; previously, Xiaomi was known for value-for-money and rush buying, and was often questioned as having 'no design, futures marketing'. The annual launch event needed to prove Xiaomi could also deliver craftsmanship and quality while supporting the RMB 1999 price.
How it works
On July 22, 2014, Xiaomi held its annual launch event at the Beijing National Convention Center; the theme was not specifications or a price war, but 'The Artistic Journey of a Steel Plate'. Lei Jun used this steel plate to connect the entire launch: a 309g steel plate went through 40 manufacturing processes, 193 precision procedures, and 32 hours of processing to become a 19g metal frame.
The background was Xiaomi's situation at the time: it had started with value-for-money and rush buying, and was labeled by outsiders as 'futures' and 'no design'. Lei Jun defined the Mi 4 (米4) as the 'representative work of four years of entrepreneurship', and disclosed that for this frame, supply-chain partner Foxconn added RMB 1.2 billion in equipment and GoerTek added RMB 700 million in equipment, totaling RMB 1.9 billion.
'The Artistic Journey of a Steel Plate' quickly became the most widely circulated product narrative of the year: media outlets competed to repost launch event details, and 'steel plate' became the most memorable symbol of the Xiaomi Mi 4. In the first half of 2014, Xiaomi smartphones sold 26.11 million units, up 271% year on year; the Xiaomi Mi 4 supplied 1 million units in two months and 1.5 million units in a single month in October, as planned.
Why it lands
- Turning the invisible manufacturing process into a visible narrative: specific numbers turn 'craftsmanship' from an adjective into a tangible fact, which is more persuasive than self-praise.
- Naming first: the launch event theme itself became communication material and a conversation hook; media and users directly quoted 'The Artistic Journey of a Steel Plate' when reposting.
- Addressing real doubts: against labels of 'no design, futures', supply-chain investment and processing time were used to prove sincerity and shift the focus of public opinion.
What it did
'The Artistic Journey of a Steel Plate' became the most widely circulated product narrative of the year, with media extensively reposting launch event details; Xiaomi Mi 4 launched as the 'representative work of four years of entrepreneurship', and in the first half of 2014 Xiaomi smartphone sales were 26.11 million units, up 271% year on year.
What you can take
When specs are homogeneous, turn manufacturing process into story: use specific numbers (309g→19g, 32 hours, 193 procedures) to explain quality as craftsmanship.
Since then
Afterwards, 'The Artistic Journey of a Steel Plate' became a classic motif in Xiaomi's brand narrative, repeatedly quoted by media and Xiaomi fans; industry analysts at the time said the Xiaomi Mi 4's capacity commitment signaled Xiaomi would shed the 'futures' label, and the Xiaomi Mi 4 also became one of the most closely watched domestic flagship phones of the year.
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