Microsoft has been chosen by Emirates Airline and its media agency Havas Media Group as one of the key partners for the airline’s World Cup advertising campaign. The campaign, which began on March 28 and ends April 21, spans 25 markets, translated in 12 languages and runs across various Microsoft services including Windows 8, MSN, Xbox, Skype on four different screens (PC, TV, tablet and mobile).
The campaign is trying to lure in targeted audience of football fans, using the video featuring football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Pele promoting Emirates’ flagship aircraft, the Airbus A380.
Microsoft expects this effort will leverage a variety of formats and interactive technologies, including touch and Kinect, and expects more than 400 million impressions from around the world. Microsoft will also design Emirates Airline page on the MSN World Cup channel. It will also roll out value-ads by Microsoft showcasing creative, translation and its investment in research of the campaign effectiveness.
“For this digital campaign, we were looking at reaching as many customers across as many platforms as possible. We chose Microsoft as one of our partners for this campaign because of the multiple touch points it was able to offer,” said Christopher Galanto, Emirates senior vice president, advertising. “As a global airline, we wanted a partner with a truly global reach to emphasize our global brand presence. We were also attracted to Microsoft’s ability to offer consistent formats across markets with the reassurance of a brand-safe environment.”
“Emirates came to us with the challenge of opening up its premium brand to a wider audience, both for this brand campaign and beyond,” said Frank Holland, CVP Microsoft Advertising & Online. “Specifically, through views of the hero video it wants to raise brand awareness among a younger, tech-savvy demographic increasingly accustomed to frequent traveling: the business travelers of tomorrow. Microsoft’s ability to offer a seamless experience for these consumers across platforms, screens and markets means that we are able to provide a valuable brand connection to the target demographic wherever they are and on whatever device they are using.”
