Building Brand Ambassadors
Date: August 2014
Company: Microsoft UK
Role: Communications Consultant, Art Director
Team: 4 Communications Consultants
SUMMARY
Microsoft UK requested a plan to build their audience of brand ambassadors. My team developed a social media and marketing plan to help meet those needs.
PROBLEM
While Microsoft Office is a mainstay on most home and office computers, the Microsoft UK digital strategy department expressed that UK customers are not passionate about the Microsoft brand. The goal of this project was to build a community that dedicated customers would be excited to join.
CONTEXT
Location: United Kingdom
Timeline: 3 months
The initial stage of the plan that we outlined was three months. This would be enough time to build excitement and momentum for the brand ambassador community. The next stages would be cultivating that community to become Microsoft insiders who would tout the benefits of the brand to their own networks.
SOLUTION
While people may not feel passionate about the Microsoft brand, many of us do have a close attachment with Microsoft products. The problem is that consumers may not realize that the products they love are part of the Microsoft brand. The strategy was to capitalize on this by helping people to have an “a-ha!” moment about their relationship to the brand and show them Microsoft is not all business.
TACTICS
Team of four communications consultants studied client's social media interaction to identify strengths and untapped potential
Visited the Microsoft UK headquarters to meet with the social marketing team and understand the department’s personality and team dynamics
Interviewed members of the social marketing team at Microsoft UK to gain insight on their needs and better understand their use of social media and voice on their platforms
Researched key audiences for client's new initiative
Created campaign idea to show users the fun side of Microsoft
Microsoft Hacks (#MSFTHacks), based on the trend of “life hacks” that were popular on social media and blogs at the time - new, creative, or little-known ways to use Microsoft products
Have actual Microsoft users share their own “Microsoft Hacks,” and interact with those users on social media
Suggest showing variety of products that people may not realize are Microsoft products (such as Skype and Xbox)
Developed slogan to help consumers realize how much they depend on Microsoft products and to suggest that the brand is a community, instead of a cold, office product:
“We’re All Microsoft”
Followed client's branding guide to design slide presentation and promotional items that were ready for implementation
Designed infographics that explained the process of team's proposed strategies
OUTCOMES
The Microsoft UK social marketing team was excited about the new way of showcasing brand as outlined in our proposal. The people-powered and people-centered focus of the campaign was an idea that they were drawn to. Two years later, they created a campaign very similar to our proposal, focused on using Microsoft products in new and creative ways.