Office: New York
Client: Microsoft
The Brief:
Microsoft wanted to drive small companies—especially those with less than ten employees—to sign up for Microsoft adCenter, Microsoft’s entry into paid search marketing. The competition was overwhelming, with Google commanding 47% of the market and Yahoo! claiming another third. Software giant Microsoft found itself in the unfamiliar role of the third place underdog, with little market awareness or visibility. In addition, adCenter lacked a compelling value proposition, with a smaller share of the search audience and without superior search technology.
The Campaign:
We realized our competitors were perceived as arrogant monopolies, giving us an opportunity to offer something unique in the marketplace: friendly, helpful guidance and a human face. We created Search Master Steve, a likable “search geek,” to help customers get the most out of search, from basic tips to advanced tools and strategies. We combined innovative Web-crawling technology with lists of known search marketers to provide a powerful source of prospects. And we used Search Master Steve as our differentiator to gain visibility and win customers, through a multi-touch campaign powered by data strategy.
The Success:
Our campaign initially exceeded monthly sign-up goals by 45%. It also beat cost-per-acquisition goals by 33%. Steve also increased visibility (up 62%) and future consideration (up 63%) for adCenter in the marketplace.