A dog experiences Minecraft, Teams calls, Halo and more in Microsoft's holiday ad
Campaign from McCann New York also includes a special canine Minecraft world
Editor's Pick
Microsoft's holiday ad this year sees its protagonist experience a range of its offerings, from the Teams platform to Minecraft, Microsoft Flight Simulator and XBox games. However, the twist is, he isn't human, but a dog.
The spot, from McCann New York, first sees the canine hero trying to connect with the humans in his life, but they're all busy with their devices during lockdown, either gaming or on work video calls. What's more, he's pining for his buddy next door, from whom he's presumably being forced to social distance (animals can get COVID too, you know.)
The dog then falls asleep and in his dreams, he's flying through the skies on the simulator, being part of a doggie world in Minecraft, infiltrating Halo and having a very barky Teams meeting. The ad, directed by Biscuit's Noam Murro, ends with the message "Find your joy."
As part of the campaign, Microsoft actually built the doggie world in Minecraft. The team at Blockworks has released "Dogtopia" as a free download available from Minecraft Marketplace and for Java. In it, you can run through a colorful bone-shaped forest where bacon grows on trees, ride in doggie hot air balloons, pee on a fire hydrant fountain and visit a canine Mount Rushmore.
Microsoft aims for the spot to remind people that there are still many ways we can be together this holiday. "This year more the ever, we felt that it was important to give people a little lift, to remind them that while we are facing a lot of challenges, there are many ways we can connect, be productive and enjoy the time we have at home,” commented Kathleen Hall, VP of brand, advertising and research.
Credits
- Date
- Dec 03, 2020
- Client :
- Microsoft
- Agency :
- McCann-New York
- Chief Brand Officer :
- Kathleen Hall
- Sr. Director Global Advertising :
- Carol Hutchinson
- Director Global Advertising :
- Stacey Terrien
- Director of Global Advertising Social and Media Partnerships :
- Jenny Leahy
- Senior Advertising Manager :
- Ron Schott
- Senior Advertising Manager :
- Dawn Novak
- Senior Advertising Manager :
- Hannah Westing
- Social Media Manager :
- Danielle Radcliffe
- Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator :
- Jorg Neumann
- Co-Chief Creative Officer :
- Sean Bryan
- Co-Chief Creative Officer :
- Tom Murphy
- EVP Global Executive Creative Director :
- Piper Hickman
- Creative Director :
- Ferdinand Daniele
- Creative Director :
- Stephanie Cajucom
- Art Director :
- Gabie Fleischer
- Copywriter :
- Jessica New
- Designer :
- Gonzalo Hergueta
- Designer :
- Gonzalo Hergueta
- Designer :
- Yung Lee
- Junior Designer :
- Malik Dupree
- Director of Creative Technology :
- David Cliff
- Creative Technologist :
- Hiya Vazirani
- Creative Technologist :
- Alicia Foor
- Managing Director :
- Kevin Nelson
- EVP Global Chief Communications Officer :
- Jeremy Miller
- EVP Global Business Lead :
- Scot Beck
- SVP Group Account Director :
- Socrates Papazoglou
- Account Supervisor :
- Patricia Burelli
- Senior Account Executive :
- Divya Joseph
- Chief Production Officer :
- Nathy Aviram
- VP Executive Producer :
- Mel Senecal
- Producer :
- Morgan Edstrom
- Senior Art Producer :
- Kelly Ramsey
- Art Producer :
- Caroline Sollman
- Digital Producer :
- Charlotte Popper
- Digital Producer :
- Sean Flanigan
- SVP Executive Music Producer :
- Eric Johnson
- Music Producer :
- Dan Gross
- Business Manager :
- Jamie Jou
- EVP Global Director of Strategy & Research :
- Ash Farr
- Strategy Director :
- Jordan Berger
- EVP Talent Partnerships :
- Danielle Korn
- Business Manager :
- David Halberstadt
- VP Director Talent Payment :
- Terry Marcello
- Talent Payment Manager :
- Rosemary Smith
- Production :
- Biscuit Filmworks
- Director :
- Noam Murro
- Partner / Managing Director :
- Shawn Lacy
- Executive Producer :
- Andrew Travelstead
- Head of Production :
- Rachel Glaub
- Head of Production :
- Sean Moody
- Producer :
- Emily Skinner
- Production Supervisor :
- Jennifer Berry
- Production :
- MPC
- Executive Producer :
- Matthew Loranger
- Producer :
- Elias Bermudez Jr
- Producer :
- Stefani Na
- Shoot Supervisor :
- Daniel Seddon
- 2D Lead :
- Rob Walker
- CG Supervisor :
- Tim Kafka
- Colorist :
- Vincent Taylor
- Color Producer :
- Kay Carpenter
- Color Assistant :
- Tyler Robinson
- Production :
- RPS
- Editor :
- Damion Clayton
- Assistant Editor :
- Michael Shugarman
- Managing Director :
- Eve Kornblum
- Producer :
- Jenny Greenfield
- Photographer :
- Giant Artists
- Photographer :
- David Black
- Production :
- Craft NY
- Senior Print Producer :
- Michelle Massaro
- Retoucher :
- Lorrena Lapouge
- Retoucher :
- Andrew Bacha
- Production :
- Sonic Union
- Sound Designer/Mix Engineer :
- Michael Marinelli
- Head of Production :
- Pat Sullivan
- CCO/CEO/Co-Composer :
- Joel Simon
- VP/Executive Producer :
- Jeff Fiorello
- Co-Composer :
- Jonathan Russell
- Producer :
- Norm Felker
- Producer :
- Andrew Manning
- Producer :
- Sharon Cha
- Minecraft Dogtopia :
- Blockworks
- Founder and Managing Director :
- James Delaney
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