Lenova announces global online search

Mumbai, Aug 9 (UNI) Lenovo, a worldwide leader in the PC market, announced today that with the help of Google it will conduct a global online search for the world's most innovative thinkers to participate in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay.

As a worldwide partner of the Olympic Torch Relay and of the Olympic Games, Lenovo will celebrate the power of inspiration across the world by honoring torchbearers who embody the Olympic Spirit, a release issued here said.

These 'new thinkers' will participate in the historic China portion of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay. Lenovo's innovative torchbearer selection program will make extensive use of the Google platform. Starting next week, Google search users and affiliated Web site visitors will be directed to www.Lenovo.com/torch by promotional links and can register for Lenovo's global torchbearer search. At the end of September, 20 entrants from around the world will be selected to create and submit videos on YouTube showcasing how they exhibit the Olympic ideals and new thinking.

Visitors will cast their votes on the videos submitted in October, and the top three vote-getters will be nominated by Lenovo to be torchbearer s for the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay. In the coming weeks, Lenovo will also launch several country-specific torchbearer selection programs, the release added.

Deepak Advani, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Lenovo, said ''Using Google's unsurpassed search and hosting platforms, we will invite people to nominate 'new thinkers' -- those who embody our company's philosophy and share in our global vision.

New thinkers are representative of our passion for ingenuity and exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit.'' To show appreciation for ''New Thinkers''' registering in the campaign, Lenovo will manage weekly promotions to award them Lenovo Olympic pins, Olympic Torch-themed notebook PCs, and even the real Olympic Torch itself.

The official torch lighting will take place in Olympia, Greece, in March 2008. The torch is planned to travel to 22 cities in five continents before spending 97 days traveling to more than 100 cities in mainland China. It will arrive at its final destination in Beijing on August 8, 2008, marking the start of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. It is the longest ever Torch Relay in Olympic history with more cities visited than any past Games, the release added.

UNI