Reframing Audience Perspectives
Microsoft Partner Campaign
Shifting the mindset of the IT channel
The campaign’s sales objective was to increase Device as a Service (DaaS) business for Microsoft Surface products. But this required a mindset shift in the channel, away from traditional transactional sales, and towards an ‘as a Service’ model. While market intelligence indicated that there was a lot of content circulating on DaaS, the messaging wasn’t having the desired impact with Westcoast’s identified target accounts.
The objective required IT channel partners to invest time, money, and effort to train their teams and talk to their customers in a new way. But to cut through the noise, we had to create a unique campaign that would engage and inspire…
…Re-introducing Fast Simon, Westcoast’s friendly IT sloth. Back with a bang and reimagined for the new digital workplace, he awoke with a new mindset and message – it was time to ‘strive’, not just ‘survive’.
An integrated campaign strategy
Through Revere’s unique and differentiating creative, this partner-centric multichannel campaign generated high-impact awareness and engagement. The campaign was supported by content that educated and nurtured, and compelling calls-to-action that drove audience engagement to explore the benefits of a joint GTM strategy with Westcoast.
To ensure continued engagement, Revere developed an integrated 18-month content plan, including a ROI calculator and personalised video direct mail for identified target accounts.
Alongside the partner campaign, a memorable internal launch event was held with a real sloth visiting the office. Ongoing sales incentives were used to continue to educate and engage the sales floor at Westcoast, including an online ‘Fast Simon’ game that all tied back to the key campaign messaging.
increased Surface spend per engaged customer, quarter-on-quarter.
Driving Surface as a Service is a strategic imperative for Microsoft and it is excellent initiatives like Westcoast’s Fast Simon that we need to help us achieve it.
Surface Commercial Distribution Lead, Microsoft
Fast Simon has been a big success and one of our most memorable campaigns – so many of our customers mention it to me. The creative has certainly cut through, but it is the substance behind it that has enabled our resellers to talk to their customers with confidence – and has led to the huge increase in sales.
Marketing Director, Westcoast