As part of its continuous efforts to bring cutting-edge technology to students, Dell Technologies has rolled out an omnichannel campaign, 'Back to School & College'. 

Conceptualised by VML India, this campaign features seven ad films that highlight relatable, everyday moments. From seamless group projects and intuitive video editing to advanced security features and long-lasting battery life, the films demonstrate how Dell's AI laptops are built to enhance students' productivity and creativity.

Each film showcases a unique feature of Dell’s AI devices. In ‘Field Trips,’ (above) a student relies on her laptop’s long-lasting battery for uninterrupted connectivity. ‘Replays’ highlights AI-enhanced video editing, while ‘Faces’ focuses on effortless facial recognition security. ‘Poses’ showcases AI-driven editing for group photos, and ‘Interviews’ uses eye-tracking technology to improve focus during virtual calls. ‘Movie Nights’ emphasises the extended battery life, and ‘Notes’ demonstrates how Copilot+ captions simplify learning by capturing key ideas.

The campaign features Dell’s Plus 14, Plus 16, and XPS 13, and showcases how these devices integrate seamlessly into students’ academic and creative workflows. 

With a strong emphasis on student empowerment, this AI portfolio adapts to dynamic learning environments, aspiring to help students unlock their full potential and excel in their studies and creative pursuits.

The campaign, which went live today, will initially run for six to seven weeks, with plans for a short break before a potential relaunch.

Ahead of the campaign launch, we caught up with Mayuri Saikia, director of marketing (consumer and small business), Dell Technologies, India, to understand the thinking behind the campaign - from the brief and creative direction to the consumer impact it hopes to drive.

Edited excerpts: 

What inspired Dell’s new ‘Back to School’ campaign, and how do the real-world scenarios featured in the films reflect the brand’s philosophy?

What we firmly believe and what guides us constantly is how new technology can be embedded into our products to truly drive human progress. That’s a mission we take seriously, and we approach it from a deeply tech-driven perspective.

Students are a huge part of that future. India, in particular, is a focus market for Dell, and when it comes to marketing, our goal is always to keep the customer at the centre of everything we do. That’s how the idea for this campaign took shape. We started by asking: what do we want to say? We’re obsessed with delivering best-in-class experiences for our customers. We have AI-powered products, a growing audience, and a massive student base across the country.

So, while everyone is talking about AI and AI laptops, we wanted to go a step further - to show how the features of these devices benefit real people in real situations. That’s the core thought behind this campaign.

If you look at the films we’ve created, we’ve captured seven relatable use cases that demonstrate how Dell’s AI laptops support customers in their day-to-day journeys. The campaign theme is 'discover more with AI.' We’re all exploring AI in different ways, and here, we wanted to highlight exactly how our products help students, young professionals, and digital-first families.

The campaign was conceptualised with our global agency partner, VML. What we’ve done is base these films on real-life moments. These are short, snackable videos that show how specific features from our AI laptops merge naturally with everyday scenarios.

The idea is to help people genuinely understand how our AI-powered laptops can fit into and enhance their lives. That’s the heart of the campaign.

How does Dell ensure that the campaign resonates with students from different age groups, and how do you balance the right messaging, offers, and platforms to reach them effectively during the back-to-school season?

The recent campaign is all about featuring students from different age groups - so that they can relate to what we’re showing. Even the moments we have picked are ones students experience in their everyday lives. We have been very conscious about connecting with them in a language they understand, rooted in insights that reflect their day-to-day reality.

These features are designed to make their lives more productive, and that’s exactly what we’re trying to showcase. At the same time, we are ensuring that we have the right offers in place because it’s the laptop-buying season for students as they head into new classes and college life. So it’s a holistic plan: the right product, the right communication, the right offers, and most importantly, ensuring this message reaches them on the right platforms.

What does your media mix look like for this campaign, how are you dividing efforts across print, digital, retail, and offline touchpoints?

We are heavily investing in digital outreach, focusing on platforms like OTT, YouTube, and social media, where students are most active. Additionally, we’re rolling out ground activations in colleges and Dell-exclusive stores to connect with students and showcase our products and offers. This strategy will continue to evolve over the coming months.

You mentioned students as a key audience, how is Dell tapping into specific sub-groups like gamers within that segment, and what role do initiatives like 'Gaming Fridays and Saturdays' play in community engagement? 

So even within the student segment, right, there's a subset of gamers. They could be amateur gamers or more serious, core gamers but the point is, they enjoy playing. That’s where our Gaming Fridays come in. These happen online, on YouTube, where we have an influencer join in and play live.

We see a lot of students logging in and participating online every Friday. Then on Saturdays, we take it offline. We host gaming sessions at select Dell-exclusive stores - the ones with a dedicated gaming zone. An influencer visits the store, and they play together with the students who’ve registered.

This is really about community building - bringing gamers together, and creating a space where they connect. And it’s not just gamers. Even other students who are curious come in, explore, and experience our products first hand. That exposure helps them understand the product better, which eventually supports their buying decision.

What are the key outcomes or metrics that Dell will use to define success for this campaign?

In terms of tracking, yes we can measure how many people are engaging. For example, we can track how many are searching for our product, how many are converting, and so on. So yes, there are plenty of ways to evaluate the campaign's success. But again, it’s not just about short-term results it’s about building a long-term brand as well.

Lastly, given the importance of sustained brand visibility, how does Dell ensure continuous engagement with its audience beyond the scope of campaign-specific efforts? 

At Dell, we prioritise continuous visibility to ensure our customers are always informed, not just during campaigns. Our communication is constant, delivering the best product information and offers across all platforms whether it's search, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, or publisher sites. We operate every day, engaging with our audience consistently. While campaigns are essential for seasonal impact, our daily engagement ensures we’re always connected with our customers, providing them with the best possible experience year-round.