Lenovo sets the pace for AI-led search and shopping with a 106% increase in ROAS

As a best-in-class global technology company, Lenovo operates in a fast-moving tech category, where shoppers research, compare, and decide across different stages of the buying process. Reaching people who are ready to buy requires an approach that can adjust as intent shifts.

The goal was to improve return on ad spend, unlock incremental demand, and establish a more agile, future-ready way to run and improve their ads. As an innovative industry leader, Lenovo wanted to take advantage of AI-driven capabilities to push the boundaries of how Search and Shopping perform together during the most competitive periods of the year in its EMEA market.

Working with Assembly Global and Microsoft Advertising, Lenovo focused on rethinking how campaigns are structured and optimized so performance could keep up with changing shopper behavior across markets.

Lenovo began testing Performance Max (PMax) in 2024, then made a clear decision to use it as the primary way to run its campaigns, replacing older shopping setups. That shift required an agile mindset and elevated execution. The team had to actively maintain and enrich feeds, build campaigns specifically for Microsoft Advertising Platform, and closely review performance from the start to guide early adjustments.

Here's how the company implemented a simpler, more unified way to manage campaigns across Search and Shopping:

• Align bidding to business outcomes: The team launched campaigns using automated, value-based bidding, giving systems room to learn before gradually aligning with Lenovo’s return goals.
• Extend presence into Copilot experiences: Ads were eligible to appear in Microsoft Copilot, helping Lenovo tap into conversational AI elements, reaching people as they asked questions, compared options, and explored what to buy.
• Strengthen creative during key periods: Lenovo deployed comprehensive creative coverage across all PMax categories, combining always-on, non-promotional assets with refreshed Black Friday creative during promotional periods. Each category exceeded minimum requirements, ensuring the AI had sufficient inputs throughout the peak period.
• Guide targeting without limiting reach: Audience signals added helpful context from first- and third-party data, while a carefully chosen set of search terms helped focus campaigns on people most likely to buy.
• Monitor performance closely: Lenovo, Assembly Global, and Microsoft Advertising worked in step to support consistent results across markets.

During Lenovo's key peak-season quarter, Performance Max played a central role in driving results. Campaigns delivered 46% more qualified traffic, with 134% higher click-through rates compared to Shopping campaigns, showing stronger relevance across touch points.

Investment increased during the busiest periods of the year and translated into stronger performance. Lenovo's leadership in PMax adoption led to a 106% increase in return on ad spend, along with a 106% increase in revenue and a 104% lift in conversion rate.