It was a situation we often face. Our client wanted a series of videos that demonstrated features of their latest product. The issue, as always, was how to make it compelling enough for people to want to watch. The good news was that the product was Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, and it was loaded with new features that were real game changers. The bad news was that the final build was nowhere near done when we started.

 

We literally spent nights (while the Microsoft engineers slept) doing screen grabs of the latest builds so our graphic designers could keep up with the functionality of the ever-evolving features. The scripts needed to be constantly updated to address the changes. This fluid workflow made client reviews, well, challenging. In the end, we chose to not use a narrator in the videos for maximum flexibility. We commissioned original music and created a three-dimensional world to showcase different applications. We cast people to appear in the video who fit the different customer personas we were targeting. We wanted the audience to see themselves in the videos as we demonstrated the benefits of the new Internet Explorer.

 

The marketing strategy worked so well that Microsoft ordered two more series of videos targeting business users, and then requested that they be localized for 14 different markets around the world. From start to finish, the project lasted a little over a year. In fact, they were working on the next-generation browser before we finished.