7 days ago
Acer, Butterbear team up for laptop
Acer Computer has teamed up with Butterbear, a famous Thai mascot, to launch a limited edition laptop appealing to a younger local audience.
The company said it wants to maintain its leadership in the Thai consumer notebook market.
Acer has held pole position in the Thai consumer notebook market since 2014, said Jeff Lee, managing director of Acer Computer Co.
The tie-up with Butterbear is the first for Acer in the local market. Previous partnerships were globally initiated, including with the Hello Kitty, Marvel and Ferrari brands.
Mr Lee, who initiated the Hello Kitty partnership, told the Bangkok Post that he wants to differentiate Acer from other brands and target women.
"The collaboration with Butterbear makes the Acer brand younger and more localised," he said.
'This project started with a small but meaningful moment. I met 'Nong Noey' at a mall event and was truly touched by the pure charm and emotional connection that cuteness can create.'
Later, during a conversation with one of his team members, Mr Lee learned that Nong Noey was about to start school.
"That's when I wondered if we could create a laptop designed just for her," he said.
"We believe technology shouldn't just be a tool for work -- it should also spark joy and inspiration every single day."
Nitipat Praweenwongwuthi, marketing director at Acer Computer Co Ltd, said the "Acer x Butterbear Aspire Lite 15 Limited Edition" laptop was designed to deliver both performance and emotional value.
Inspired by Nong Noey, a beloved figure among today's youth, the laptop represents a true companion: genuine, gentle, playful and naturally charming.
Pre-orders for the laptop at the recent Commart IT fair already reached the quota of 100 units, and the product has reopened for more pre-orders.
This one-year collaboration covers PCs and accessories, said Mr Nitipat.
Youngsters, in particular Gen Z and Alpha, need personalised products that reflect their style and this is a growing trend in IT, Mr Nitipat added.
He acknowledged consumer sentiment on new IT devices might be impacted by the challenging economy and the US reciprocal tariff.
"If there is a negative impact, we will see it in the third quarter," said Mr Nitipat.
However, he believes that the computer market is quite mature with demand for hybrid learning and replacement of existing devices by users of the Windows 10 operating system.
Microsoft plans to end support for Windows 10 in October.
"In the first five months, the local PC market contracted by 4%. The total computer market this year is expected to shrink 5% in the worst-case scenario, growing 5% in the best case," said Mr Nitipat.
The total PC market is 2.1 million units, he said.
