For the 2017 edition, year three of its #MakeWhatsNext campaign–again linked to International Women’s Day–Microsoft aims to build a sense of urgency and scale to an education issue.
In a series of videos–including this anthem piece titled "Change The Odds"–Microsoft asks girls about the problems they are most passionate about solving, conveys their excitement about what they could achieve – ranging from finding solutions to climate change to curing cancer – and also the harsh reality: without the necessary STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Math] skills, they probably won’t solve them.
Currently, only 6.7 percent of U.S. women (and 16 percent of women globally) graduate college with STEM degrees. The plea to girls: to change the world stay in STEM and #MakeWhatsNext.
As part of this initiative, Microsoft will introduce new programs and resources on www.MakeWhatsNext.com that will help young girls take the next step in making their STEM dreams a reality, including a new experiental tool being launched by Microsoft and LinkedIn to demonstrate how girls can pursue their passions across industries and social causes.
The campaign created by m:united//McCann launches globally today (3/7/17), just as International Women’s Day is starting around the world, and will span broadcast, online/digital, events and social media including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, which will have a “First View”, a first for Microsoft and Twitter, and a Twitter Conversation Card to showcase the video and drive conversation.
"Change The Odds" was directed by JJ Adler from Tool of North America.
Client Microsoft Agency M;united//McCann Sean Bryan, Tom Murphy, co-chief creative officers; Susan Young, Daniela Vojta, executive creative directors; David Cappolino, copywriter; Julie Koong, art director; Kelly Kim, designer; Elina Rudkovskaya, copywriter, social; William Montgomery, art director, social; David Cliff, director of creative technology; Alicia Foor, creative technologist; Aaron Kovan, director of integrated production; Carolyn Johnson, executive producer; Rebecca Magner, producer; Jeremy Adirim, director of interactive production; Charlotte Popper, interactive producer; Eric Johnson, executive integrated music producer; Sam Belkin, music coordinator.; Michelle Kiely, global director of strategy; Justin Ballheim, strategy director. Production Tool of North America JJ Adler, director; Oliver Fuselier, managing partner, live action; Brad Johns, exec producer; Greg Jones, producer; Laura Merians, DP. Editorial Cosmo Street Editorial Tessa Davis, editor; Josh Berger, assistant editor; Becca Reil, producer; Yvette Sears, exec producer. VFX Framestore New York Sarah Hiddlestone, head of production/EP Karen Czukerberg, sr. producer; Raven Sia, sr. producer; Karl Woolley, head of VR; Andy Rowan Robinson, creative director; Steve Drew, compositing supervisor; Raul Ortego, head of Flame; Beau Leon, colorist; Jonah Braun, color assist; Marc Smith, Abram Seaman, designers; Patrick Ross, Georgios Cherouvim, Georgios Papaioannou, Jacob Slutsky, Glory Zheng, Mohamed Echkouna, Sean Curran, Shayne Ryan, Will Frazier, 3D; Dan Giraldo, Elaina Brillantes, Jose Arauz, Giulia Bartra, Ranran Meng, Chihcheng Peng, Liz Yang, compositing; Callum McKeveny, Rob Go, 2D; Ben Cronin, Deepa Paulus, Katie Rhodes, Megan De Wolf, Paul O’Brien, Savneet Nagi, Tim Greenwood, Tim Osborne, VFX Support (Framestore’s London office) (Toolbox: Flame, Nuke, Maya, After Effects, Houdini, 3D Equalizer)
The Best Work You May Never See: Steve Rogers Directs Christmas Spot For Telstra Starring A Singing Donkey
Directed by Steve Rogers via production house Revolver, this 90-second Christmas film for Aussie telecommunications company Telstra--created by agency Bear Meets Eagle On Fire in tandem with +61--tells the story of an accidental singing superstar, Little Donkey, who goes on a whirlwind tour across the world. But eventually stardom isn't all it's cracked up to be as Little Donkey misses its family at holiday time.
“We wanted to tell a Christmas story without falling into the holiday cliches. Hopefully the heart of this rings true and people get a bit of giggle along the way,” said Micah Walker, chief creative officer at Bear Meets Eagle On Fire.
Blake Crosbie, managing director of +61, said, “It’s a charming story that is so true of Christmas and so naturally adds to our brand idea ‘Wherever We Go’.”
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