Summary

Agency: Edelman

Client & Project: Microsoft - The Future of Work

We launched a digital film campaign for Microsoft in the Dutch market, aiming to gain earned coverage in local media. The campaign's deliverables were primarily targeted at digital channels, with a particular emphasis on YouTube and Microsoft-owned platforms. I managed the entire production and client communications from the project's inception to its final delivery.

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What was the challenge and how we tackled it

The challenge was to position Microsoft as a leader in hybrid working policies. At Microsoft, asynchronous and flexible work arrangements have been a reality for several years. During the COVID-19 crisis, the company sought to make a bold statement by showcasing their advanced hybrid work policy. We collaborated closely with HR and internal policymakers at Microsoft to develop the campaign concept. The central idea was to introduce the role of the Chief Hybrid Officer (CHO), a new position dedicated to further developing and implementing hybrid working strategies within the company.

The centerpiece of the campaign was a manifesto video featuring five employees with diverse lifestyles, illustrating the various possibilities of flexible working at Microsoft. The video's concept was unique in that it could be watched forward or backward, slightly altering the meaning but still making sense, emphasizing the flexibility and non-synchronous nature of work. Additionally, photo portraits and video cutdowns were created to highlight each ambassador and their individual stories.

The campaign was further enriched with a robust social media presence, podcasts featuring the ambassadors, and a media presentation to announce the appointment of the CHO. This multi-faceted approach ensured a comprehensive and engaging promotion of Microsoft's hybrid work policies.

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What I did

1. Developed the creative concept in close collaboration with the Microsoft team, addressing various production challenges.

2. Managed pre-production, including the implementation of the project timeline, budgeting, and resource allocation.

3. Supervised the junior producer responsible for daily production tasks.

4. Coordinated the film production crew, photography team, motion graphics, and music development to ensure quality and timely delivery.

5. Led creative production and coordinated with various internal and external stakeholders, including strategists, creatives, marketing teams, designers, music composers, filming crew, post-production team, and developers.

6. Served as the main point of contact for the client throughout the entire project cycle.

7. Acted as the production lead, overseeing the entire team to ensure adherence to budget and brand guidelines throughout the project development.

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The outcome

Despite the Ukraine crisis dominating the media, the campaign garnered significant attention from over 31 national Dutch media and news outlets (both ATL and digital).

Highlights from the campaign's performance include:

- Client-owned social channels (including LinkedIn and Instagram) saw over 20,000 online film views.
- There were 185,000 organic social post engagements and 70,000 impressions.
- Engagements reached 1,225% of the target.
- Click-through rates hit 202% of the target.
- Unique reach achieved 133% of the target.
- The Future of Work landing page attracted 4,079,294 unique visitors.
- Over 70% of Microsoft Netherlands employees participated in inspiration sessions.
- Commercial results included one-on-one inspiration sessions about hybrid working with more than 150 customer organizations, leading to 40+ new leads in just six weeks.