Liquid Agency designs retail campaign for Microsoft Windows 8 launch.
January 2, 2013 at 1:00 pm
Liquid Agency is tapped to deliver global retail merchandising program for Microsoft
We have had the opportunity to work with Microsoft on several major retail launches—however this one was a much bigger initiative than any of the ones we worked on in the past. The Windows 8 launch represented the most revolutionary update of Microsoft’s popular operating system—and the company asked us to put together the biggest retail campaign the company had ever attempted. To pull this off we assembled a team of experienced and talented retail strategists and designers—and we assigned them to work exclusively on this project until completion.
The campaign celebrates what people can do with Windows 8.
The objectives included building awareness and excitement for Windows 8 at retail—while enabling customers to understand the benefits and amazing capabilities of an operating system designed for a new batch of devices that use touch technology. We knew that Microsoft wanted to celebrate people and the amazing things people can do with the new operating system. At the same time we had some very tactical objectives to accomplish, such as helping customers navigate through the retail experience from the moment they walked into the store to the instant where they decided to purchase the product.
Rapid prototyping enabled us to move faster towards a final solution.
Our team started by developing the strategic messaging platform that would become the foundation for the campaign—and immediately explored creative executions that allowed us and Microsoft to quickly evaluate potential directions, and make speedy decisions. This agile approach is based on our Silicon Valley Thinking philosophy, which advocates rapid prototyping of strategic ideas and a high degree of collaboration with our clients. From a visual perspective, we focused on images that capture the humanity of people in activities that range from the ordinary to the extraordinary, from the mundane to the monumental.
We developed assets for retailers across the world.
The scope of work included developing a tool kit of marketing assets that retailers worldwide could use to create highly customized point of purchase merchandising assets with ease and flexibility—while maintaining a thread of consistency that would protect the brand in geographies across the globe. The assets enabled retailers to create posters, brochures, end caps, inline displays, window displays, banners, table tents, and much more. Additionally, we also created specific custom variations of the campaign for key retailers in the US, such as BestBuy and Staples.
We let the interface and people be the heroes of the campaign.
The revolutionary interactive and personalized tile interface is a major difference between not only Windows 8 and previous version of the operating system, but from any operating system ever. So, we made it one of the centerpieces of the campaign—featuring it boldly in many of the marketing tools. Additionally, we celebrated some of the key qualities of the brand (human, encouraging and vibrant) through lifestyle imagery that is approachable, warm, and authentic; a color palette that is bold and spirited; and text that is confident, supportive and helpful.
A courageous move forward results in 40 million licenses sold in a month!
Windows 8 represents a significant shift for Microsoft—and, as we all know, innovation is not always immediately well received. Some of the critics have pointed out that the new interface can be confusing for those who have been using the earlier versions of Windows for so long. However, the interface has also been praised for its performance improvements, security enhancements, and its improved support for touchscreen devices. Microsoft reported that 40 million Windows 8 licenses were sold during its first month of availability. On our end, we are happy to have had a role in helping Microsoft introduce such an innovative product—and wish the company well in its quest to improve the way that people use PCs, tablets and mobile devices and help them do more of what they want to do—and do it faster and more enjoyably.
Scott and Alfredo,
Congratulations to the Liquid team and you on this major accomplishment for Microsoft!
Best wishes,
Greg Hansen
GQG
Thanks, Greg. I really appreciate your kind comments. I wish you continued success with GQG in the coming year!
So great! Kudos to the Microsoft team! Wonderful work; fantastic presence.
Well done team! All of the late nights really paid off!!
Nice work guys. That’s a big get! Congrats!
Exceptionally well done, everyone! Only Liquid could make Microsoft look this cool. (With all due respect to Microsoft, of course!)
Wow! This is such exceptionally clear, strong and inspiring work, so confident and alive, and yet so simple and down-to-earth – this is the perfect example of strategic messaging, expressive imagery and well-controlled brand design working seamlessly to create a truly motivational campaign. We’re so proud to be able to be associated with such great work.
Nice worth, brothers. Some really great work here. Windows 8 is actually a substantial step in the right direction, too.
Congrats!