OnePlus has partnered with singer and actor Himesh Reshammiya to launch its latest smartphone, the OnePlus N6, through a campaign that blends humour, nostalgia and internet culture.
Built around the playful concept of a “missing N”, the campaign features a podcast-style conversation between Himesh Reshammiya and a Gen Z host. Throughout the interaction, Himesh attempts to avoid using the letter “N”, leading to a series of humorous exchanges, lyric references and awkward moments before culminating in the reveal of the OnePlus N6.
According to the company, Himesh was chosen for his cross-generational appeal. While his music continues to resonate with long-time fans, his popularity among younger audiences has surged through memes, reels and viral social media moments. With Gen Z accounting for over 377 million economically active consumers in India and smartphones serving as their primary medium for entertainment and self-expression, OnePlus said his growing relevance made him a natural fit for the campaign.
The campaign has already generated over 2.1 million views and 341,000 engagements on Instagram, achieving an engagement rate by reach of 23%.
The campaign also highlights the OnePlus N6’s key features, including an 8,000mAh battery, 45W SUPERVOOC fast charging, IP65-rated protection and a 120Hz display, positioning the device as one built for everyday performance.
Commenting on the collaboration, Himesh Reshammiya said, “What appealed to me about this collaboration was how simple and light-hearted the idea was. It brought together humour and nostalgia in a way that felt natural, while giving people a reason to join the conversation. The response from audiences has been wonderful to see, with people engaging with the campaign and making it their own. It has been a pleasure collaborating with OnePlus on the launch of the OnePlus N6, and I’m delighted to be associated with a campaign that connects with people through entertainment and culture.”
Ishita Grover, Head of Marketing at OnePlus India, added, “When we set out to launch the OnePlus N6, we knew we had to do something bold enough to actually get Gen Z’s attention — and not in the obvious, trend-chasing way. Himesh was the answer almost immediately. He’s having a real moment with younger audiences right now; his music has taken on a whole new life with Gen Z, who’ve made it their own. That’s exactly the audience we were talking to, so bringing him in just made sense. With the ‘missing N’ idea, we wanted to mix humour, nostalgia and a bit of fun and let people discover the OnePlus N6 through a story they’d actually want to be part of.”