Freshen Up and Brush Up

Background

Microsoft employees are supposed to follow a set of protocols when communicating or having internal meetings. Drawn up by the HR department to ensure all employees adhere to basic courtesies and behaviours with each other and with clients, they’re part of how Microsoft comes across to the outside world. Usually passed on by email or leaflets, no one was really paying attention to these rules, so the challenge was to convey them in a fun and memorable way. The client’s own suggestions included posters, danglers and notepads.

Idea

Instead of using the normal messaging channels, the agency came up with a rather different approach. They argued that everyone wants to go into a meeting feeling fresh. So to deliver this sense of ‘freshness’, they created a specially branded ‘Microfresh’ chewing gum. A pack of this was placed on every employee’s desk and in all the meeting rooms. On the reverse of the packaging was copy which helped staff brush up on the rules while freshening up at the same time.

Results

Having their own branded chewing gum was very popular throughout the office. Microsoft’s HR department has reported a noticeably better decorum of conduct with regard to meetings. Another response measurement is also the fact that the chewing gum packaging has gone to three separate printings so far. The idea has caught the attention of many Microsoft clients who have commented favourably on the initiative.

Our Thoughts

This is one of those jobs where it would be easy to just take the client’s suggestions for some internal posters and be done with it. Microsoft staff would simply have ignored the message and may even have felt resentful. But giving them a nice-to-have, something you associate with concentration, is a charming and friendly way to get co-operation.