Kurio

According to a recent Finnish study, nearly half of the participants said that as a brand, Microsoft isn't personal, and one third thought that it doesn't feel inspirational. This reflected to business heavily: half the participants said, that Microsoft products were less relevant to them than a year before. When the new Microsoft Surface devices were launched, the challenge was clear: putting technology first would only reinforce the old, negative image.

Microsoft core values are diversity and inclusion. However, the reality in the IT industry is far from that vision. In Finland, only one of every five people working in IT are women. Two of every five women with engineering degrees either don't enter the field at all or quit soon after. Four out of five people can't name a women influencer in the tech field. And this called for action. So we did the unexpected.

For the International Women's Day, #SurfaceTheWomen was born. A campaign that turned the product name from a distant giant to a dynamic force of equity and brings the women in technology to surface.

Half the organization as the faces of the campaign. A first of a kind LinkedIn profile photo movement. Through stories and interviews, the strong and successful women were presented to the public.

Dozens of leading IT companies joined the cause. More than 600 women surfaced as IT influencers. More than 1,5MM people were reached in a week with no paid media. Social media success was followed by headlines in the biggest business and tech media outlets. After Finland, the campaign spread to all other Nordic markets. A movement was born - and Microsoft Surface was the center of it.