Instagram Marketing Case Study: How Microsoft And National Geographic Got 3.5M Likes on International Women’s Day
For International Women’s Day, Microsoft leveraged National Geographic’s wide-reaching social media audience as well as some of the most renowned adventure photographers to build an Instagram marketing campaign. In this case study, we’ll take a closer look at Microsoft’s partnership with National Geographic and why it succeeded.
Approach & Background
Microsoft’s International Women’s Day Instagram marketing campaign was part of their “Make What’s Next” campaign. The campaign, which Microsoft launched last year for International Women’s Day and picked back up this year, aims to encourage young girls to work in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). Other components of the campaign include a 60-second TV ad, a career explorer tool created in partnership with LinkedIn, and a workshopthat will be available in stores and on Facebook Live on March 18, 2017.
The photos were taken by several popular adventure photographers, most of which are affiliated with National Geographic.
Each photo caption featured the story of a prominent female scientist or adventurer.
Each photo caption also included: Microsoft Mixer – Empowering girls to change the world, stay in STEM, and be the ones to #MakeWhatsNext. Microsoft welcomes girls for a free workshop with @natgeo personalities at select Microsoft stores on 3/18/2017.
Goals
Build brand awareness and foster positive public perception.
Create genuine messaging that encourage girls to pursue jobs in STEM.
Capitalize on a trending, worldwide event, International Women’s Day.
Results
Over 3.5 million total likes on the 30 photos posted on International Women’s Day (over 115K likes per post)
Potential reach of 91 million people (total followers across National Geographic’s five accounts)
Over 1,000 pieces of content generated on Instagram with #MakeWhatsNext
Why Microsoft Succeeded
1. Leveraged National Geographic’s established social media reach
National Geographic has an extraordinarily strong social media presence. It was recently named the #1 brand on social media by Shareablee based on a combination of followers and engagement data. By partnering with a well established and credible brand publisher on social, Microsoft was able to reach an enormous audience of 91 million.
2. Aligned campaign messaging and date with an international holiday
By planning its campaign in conjunction with International Women’s Day, Microsoft was able to contribute relevant content to the IWD conversation and maximize its campaign’s impact.
3. Showcased authentic stories and powerful imagery through sponsored posts on Instagram
Microsoft crafted its sponsored posts around stories of real human experiences. The faces of this campaign were real faces with real stories, and that was a powerful core element. This strategy helped Microsoft connect and engage with audiences on a deeper level and build long-term brand awareness and approval.
Best Examples From Microsoft’s Instagram Marketing Campaign
In this post, Mittermeier’s passion for her work as a marine biologist shines through. Coupled with a stunning visual, this creates a compelling image that helped deliver Microsoft’s message to millions in an elegant way that lent itself to sharing (tags) and organic engagement (likes, comments, and social sentiment).
This post, which highlights the role Juan served in helping save the giant panda from extinction, is an excellent example of why women in STEM matter. By highlighting a central idea as a part of an important theme, Microsoft’s message became a part of a larger message likely to resonate with many.
This post appeared on the adventure focused National Geographic sub-account and shows how STEM is vital to activities like rock climbing, which rely on math and engineering to make the sport safe and possible. By finding a real-world application of vital STEM principles, this post helps align relevant, real-world applications with Microsoft’s campaign message.
By focusing on community and the impact women working together in science, this image of a young female scientist serves to inspire other girls to follow their passion in STEM. The human element in this post helped bring a strong, resounding idea to Microsoft’s messaging that extends beyond the brand itself.