House Party
Company: House Party, Irvington, NY
Company Description: House Party is a leading consumer activation and experiential marketing services company that engages thousands of qualified consumer advocates to host in-home parties featuring a brand or product. Managed via a proprietary, customized online community space, consumers engage both in home and online to explore and promote brands they love.
Nomination Category: Live Event Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best New Product Introduction Event
Nomination Title: Microsoft Windows 7 Global Launch Parties
1. The date on which this nominated entry was first presented:
October 2009
2. Briefly describe the nominated event's communications objectives and how it met those objectives (up to 500 words). After this description, provide URLs to online photographs, video clips, press clippings, etc. that will portray the event for the judges. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:
Microsoft was preparing for one of the largest and most important initiatives
in its history – the worldwide launch of its Windows 7 operating system. Key
to the marketing strategy was the message that Microsoft, in designing this
operating system, had taken to heart the wishes of everyday consumers like
never before. To emphasize this message, and to activate its passionate brand
advocates, Microsoft asked House Party to put its pioneering fusion of in-
home, online, word-of-mouth, and social media marketing at the center of the
launch.
House Party engages thousands of qualified consumer advocates to host in-home
parties – thousands of parties on a single day across the country or the
world – built around a brand, product or element of entertainment
programming. House Party hosts meet a profile defined by the marketer, and
are passionate advocates of the marketer’s brand. Parties are attended by the
host’s friends and family, and their experiences are shared by millions more
via the custom branded website deployed in the weeks before each event, as
well as on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks. Each unique House
Party event is a measurable, turnkey marketing program that enhances and
spreads brand passion through in-person endorsements and viral online sharing.
More than 40,000 consumers worldwide were engaged in the launch and
celebration of its landmark Windows® 7 operating system through a series of in-
home House Party™ events – called “Launch Parties” – of unprecedented scale
and impact.
The key objectives were to:
• Demonstrate the Windows® 7 operating system to consumers
• Create Windows® 7 brand advocates
• Acknowledge the consumer as an integral part of the development of the
product and show that Microsoft listened
The Windows 7 Launch Party events consisted of Employee and Consumer Events in
eight languages and 14 locations, including: the USA, Canada, Mexico,
Australia, the UK, France, Germany, India, Italy, Spain, Brazil, China, Hong
Kong and Japan.
To recruit hosts for the parties, employees were sent an internal email, and
consumers were likewise recruited to apply for host slots. These consumers
were tech enthusiasts who had previewed the product prior to the market
release. They were screened on criteria selected by Microsoft to align with
requirements for effectively demonstrating the capabilities of the system.
Hosts, who were asked to gather 10+ friends and family in their homes, could
choose one of four themes, including: “Family Friendly
Fun,” “PhotoPalooza,” “Media Mania” or “Setting up with Ease” in an effort to
highlight the new system’s key features.
To thank hosts for their leadership and equip them to showcase the product,
they were each provided with a free Limited Signature Edition Windows® 7
Ultimate OS as well as other party pack elements like a party poster, playing
cards, a puzzle and totes for the guests, all featuring the original Windows
7® desktop artwork. Through the custom branded Website where hosts blogged,
uploaded photos and videos, hosts also used party favor downloads.
More than 470,000 consumers, through more than 40,000 launch parties
worldwide, celebrated the launch of Windows 7®, learned about the operating
system firsthand, and shared their insights and enthusiasm in a fun party
setting; millions more heard raves through social media and other word-of-
mouth channels, both online and off. To date, this event is the largest in
House Party’s history and first global event.
Microsoft saw deep engagement, mass reach, and enormous lifts in awareness,
favorability, advocacy, purchase-intent and other brand metrics. In addition,
there was 1.5 million hours worldwide of engagement, and over 25 million
unique Conversation Partners worldwide (16 million in U.S.) were reached.
Over 400,000 in-home demonstrations of Windows 7 took place.
http://dev.houseparty.com/webby
3. List the appropriate creative and production credits for this entry: Advertising Agency/City: Client: Art Director: Cinematographer: Creative Director: Designer: Director: Illustrator/City: Music Producer/City: Photographer/City: Printer/City: Producer: Production Company/City: Programmer: Writer: Web Development Firm/City:
Microsoft Windows 7 team and House Party team