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Category
Brand Voice
Annual ID
OS_PR21_063M
About the Work
Microsoft Surface’s brand platform is to help people bring their ideas & vision to the surface. To show the world what the brand stands for, Microsoft uncovered the inspirational story of a coach who turned her dream into reality: Katie Sowers, one of the first female and LGBTQ coaches in the NFL.
Football is a huge part of American culture, but half the fans and half the population have never seen themselves represented on the field. Thousands of girls across the country play football growing up and millions of women watch it, but that’s where their involvement ends. Before Katie Sowers stepped onto the field, young girls did not have a role model they could turn to for inspiration.
Katie had been coaching for years but no one had heard her groundbreaking journey, even as she was poised to become the first female to coach in the Super Bowl. So on the biggest night in sports, Microsoft amplified her story and shined a light on the idea that it only takes one to break through, inspiring millions of girls all over the world to dream big.
But Microsoft didn’t stop with a film. During Super Bowl weekend, Microsoft created an event where girls wrote letters to their future selves about their dreams (and Microsoft spotlighted those letters on social).
Finally, Microsoft took action to help reduce bias for everyone by launching a new anti-bias tool in Microsoft Word that highlights words rooted in unconscious bias in their writing and suggesting alternatives.
The campaign changed the conversation around women in sports. Searches for “women in sports” increased 453% following the campaign and 6 female coaches were hired the next season, with 2 working the Super Bowl. Ultimately, Microsoft and Katie Sowers proved that it only takes one.
Football is a huge part of American culture, but half the fans and half the population have never seen themselves represented on the field. Thousands of girls across the country play football growing up and millions of women watch it, but that’s where their involvement ends. Before Katie Sowers stepped onto the field, young girls did not have a role model they could turn to for inspiration.
Katie had been coaching for years but no one had heard her groundbreaking journey, even as she was poised to become the first female to coach in the Super Bowl. So on the biggest night in sports, Microsoft amplified her story and shined a light on the idea that it only takes one to break through, inspiring millions of girls all over the world to dream big.
But Microsoft didn’t stop with a film. During Super Bowl weekend, Microsoft created an event where girls wrote letters to their future selves about their dreams (and Microsoft spotlighted those letters on social).
Finally, Microsoft took action to help reduce bias for everyone by launching a new anti-bias tool in Microsoft Word that highlights words rooted in unconscious bias in their writing and suggesting alternatives.
The campaign changed the conversation around women in sports. Searches for “women in sports” increased 453% following the campaign and 6 female coaches were hired the next season, with 2 working the Super Bowl. Ultimately, Microsoft and Katie Sowers proved that it only takes one.
2021 Awards
Total Points: 3
Merit
Credits
Agency
McCann / New York
Client / Brand
Microsoft / Redmond
Production Company
Film 47 / Los Angeles
Music / Sound Production Company
JSM Music / New York
Associate Creative Director
David Perea
Nickie Thongton
Ricardo Munoz
Creative Director
Dabo Che
EVP, Global Executive Creative Director
Shayne Millington
VP, Creative Director
Gabrielle Shirdan
Geoff Bentz
Nic Ciomperlik
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