Microsoft
We help Microsoft reach billions of customers.
Microsoft counts on VML to engage global consumer and commercial audiences across a vast ecosystem of products and services. Xbox. Windows. Windows: Phone, Live and Embedded. Cloud. Lync. Office. Azure. Visual Studios. The Microsoft Partner Network. The list goes on and on — as does our enthusiasm for helping the world’s largest technology company keep its edge.
Visual Studio 2010
Challenge
Microsoft challenged the team to create and deploy a worldwide campaign for Visual Studio 2010, an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) from Microsoft used to develop console and graphical user interface applications.
Idea
VML understood that developers, and the code they write, inform just about everything around us. From this truth the campaign — Life Runs On Code — emerged and took the form of over 500 individual tactics, from a website, emails and rich media banners to print ads, events and video units, all localization-ready. One of the largest product releases in Microsoft history, the Visual Studio 2010 campaign launched simultaneously without a hitch in 23 markets worldwide.
Results
The Visual Studio 2010 campaign was a huge success, driving millions of visits to the campaign website increasing engagements, and surpassing the client’s goals.
Lync VW Test Drive
Challenge
The challenge was to raise awareness of Microsoft Lync among decision-makers and end-users resulting in them sharing their experiences with other people.
Idea
There was obvious value in authenticity and peer-to-peer interactions. Lync was put into the hands of the customers allowing them to publish their experience with Lync in their own words and in real time. A first-of-its-kind, living case study with Volkswagen Group of America was launched to encourage employees to discuss their thoughts and experiences with the product. The Test Drive site was introduced to the participants, as well as a hosted campaign, bio videos, and aggregated blog posts for everyone to follow. A diverse team of bloggers from across the company were trained to assure everyone was prepared for the world of social media and ready to share as the Test Drive unfolded.
Results
There has been great success in meeting the objectives around sharing and engagement. Sharing is one of the campaign’s biggest drivers, with a majority of visitors coming from shared links, demonstrating that the strategy of putting the product in the hands of a receptive audience and asking them to pass it on has truly moved the needle and raised awareness.
Gears of War 3
Challenge
Xbox 360 and Epic Games tasked VML with building pre-release buzz for their hot, platform-specific game Gears of War 3.
Idea
VML built XboxCogCodes.com, a website that encouraged Gears of War fans to search for special codes hidden on the Web, in e-mails, videos, blogs and forums, and submit them in exchange for exclusive Gears of War downloads. Millions of unique codes were generated and distributed to influential Microsoft employees and bloggers, while others were hidden in the site itself. Over 50 unique posters, paper-craft toys, desktop backgrounds, chat icons and printable materials were created and translated into five languages to reward fans in 11 markets worldwide.
Results
The promotion achieved its goal of creating buzz and then some, with hundreds of pages of conversation popping up on the Epic Games forum pages as rabid fans shared the codes they found and speculated on where to find more. Mission accomplished.