Microsoft tapped Opts Ideas to be the creative lead for one of their most important global product launches in the firm’s history: Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008. Microsoft’s objectives were aggressive:

• Support Windows Server sales goal with major release of Windows Server, SQL Server 2008 and Visual Studio 2008
• Upgrade customers from previous versions of these products
• Increase market share in the critical server workloads including Web, Branch, and Security offerings
• Support company-wide goal of increasing IT Pro and Developer awareness and building stronger ties to these key stakeholders

Heroes Happen {Here}
In collaboration with the Microsoft Product Group executives, Opts developed an “outside-in” approach, focusing on the unsung heroes among IT professionals and developers around the world, relying on Microsoft’s global customers who were already deploying the new technologies from the new suite of products.

This launch was powerfully unique – rather than Microsoft telling its story to its customers, Microsoft’s customers told their stories of how these products enable

The launch strategy had three main components:

Focus on Customers – Not Products: By the time of the launch, the three Microsoft products were already in the hands of many of its customers. Since this was not a product reveal, the customer stories became the news hook for both the press and IT pro/developer audience. Microsoft positioned itself as an enabler of the heroic work their customers performed every day.

Demand Generation: We built anticipation for the launch through participation by the target audience during the months leading up to the launch with the use of multimedia content via the web, in print, photography and videos.

A Compelling Event: The launch event needed to build on the theme Heroes Happen {Here}. It had to be customer driven and present the product demos in a relevant and exciting way.

The Process

HeroesHappenHere.Com: We created a URL to establish a virtual community around the theme. This linked to and from multiple Microsoft websites; provided a place for the target audience to land, share their own stories; and see the energy being created during the build-up to the launch. The site also served as a means to communicate product news and updates as well as registering for local launch events.

The Book: Microsoft’s global subsidiaries and their best customers enthusiastically embraced the theme of Heroes Happen {Here}. Six months before the launch, a nominating process was put in place to gather stories of heroic, world-changing work being enabled by the Beta versions of Microsoft enterprise software.

After choosing 80 of the most compelling stories from around the world, renowned photographer and videographer, Carolyn Jones, along with a film crew, were dispatched to capture these stories to create book commemorating the launch wave, of course titled Heroes Happen {Here}.

The Comic: Heroic stories lend themselves naturally to superheroes. Working with widely-known comic artist (Batman, Wonder Woman), Jordan Gorfinkel as editor, a comic strip was developed for the web that brought to life actual stories submitted by the online audience, updated daily for the duration of the launch.

A search was made for the right venue to host the Launch Wave event with the decision to use the new, state of the art Nokia Theater in Los Angeles.

Tom Brokaw opened the event with a moving keynote focused on who heroes really are -- not big-name celebrities, executives or politicians, but normal people who do extraordinary things by putting their lives and incomes at risk to make things happen that save lives and make the world a better place.

For Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s keynote, Opts worked closely with MS Studios to create a bit of magic, thanks to a new screen technology called Musion, an invisible projection surface used as the main screen. This allowed us to create our own heroes in a fictional company using short 3D video segments. The presenter in the video then "walked out of the screen" and onto the stage live, to complete the demo presentation.

Each demo session was bookended by the customer videos shot by Carolyn Jones and the film crew, effectively blending fiction and fact in a powerful way.

The Impact

The Results
One analyst posted his column from the event floor that sums up how significant and successful this launch was:

“I actually think this is could turn out to be one of the most significant events this decade if others pick up on this and follow Microsoft's lead to focus not on their products nurtured, could create a technology-driven market recovery, and a better world. We are seeing the result of nearly a decade of internal change at Microsoft, and I think it means that the company we have come to know has been quietly replaced by one we probably will like better.”
Rob Enderle, February 27, 2008 post for IT Business Edge

Microsoft’s Bob Visse stated that Windows Server Business increased over 15% during the months after the launch, translating to billions of dollars in revenue directly attributable to the launch wave. Some other goals and objectives that were met and exceeded follow below.

For this hugely important product launch, Microsoft ventured beyond their area of comfort. The focus on their customers – not their products – put both people and product in the best light...they both emerged as heroes.

Microsoft chose Opts Ideas as their trusted business partner because they knew they would be pushed and challenged creatively, yet with the confidence that the Opts team would deliver on execution, production values and budget. And because Microsoft and Opts have collaborated on product launches and critical user and press meetings for more than 15 years.

The creative, the execution, the production values, and the integration of the many teams of people working on this project are a testament to the unique strengths of Opts Ideas as a partner for your most critical marketing programs and events.