After pitching and winning the RFP to create the critical “buying season” campaign for Microsoft Education, I led the team in developing the campaign further and creating the guidelines with tactical examples.
As with most RFPs, often some details are left out - sometimes on purpose or because things have progressed further. I worked directly with the client to drill down on KPIs, find the voice, refine the target audience and positioning, develop the tagline, and cast for the photoshoot.
I selected and briefed my team and led the development of campaign guidelines that included copy libraries and tactics that ranged from out-of-home to online. I pushed the team hard (and drove them a little crazy) with my insistence on retouching every photo to perfection, refining every icon, and tightening every line of copy.
When my client asked for additional out-of-scope work near the end of the project, I secured more resources to accommodate the request and remain on schedule.
Upon receiving the campaign guidelines (on time and within budget), my client asked for one last edit. She said, “These are not our campaign guidelines. These are our brand guidelines—and you are now our agency of record.”