The following is a post by Shari Weisenberg, Marketing Brand Strategist, Microsoft Advertising.
If you find yourself at a SoHo bar this week, and you spot a discarded napkin with scribbles on it, you might want to take a second look: The odds are slightly better than usual that those scribbles will be Madison Avenue’s next winning idea.
That’s because an eclectic group of creative professionals are meeting up in the New York City neighborhood for the 5th annual Creative Week, a wide-ranging 5-day conversation about creativity in advertising, design, digital media and the arts. More pop-up think tank than standard conference, the event brings together creative types of all stripes, including some of Microsoft Advertising’s leading creative and marketing minds.
One common thread that connects all of these people and ideas: How can brands weave together creativity and technology to connect with audiences in radically new ways?
Microsoft Advertising helps brand marketers, creative agencies and publishers find answers to this question, dreaming up next-generation advertising experiences that harness our ecosystem of platforms – Windows 8, Skype, Xbox and beyond – to deliver value to consumers and brands at scale.
For us, a key part of the process is inviting the creative community in early so we can explore together how to bring their ideas to life on innovative new digital canvasses like Ads in Apps for Windows 8.
That’s why Microsoft feels right at home at Creative Week, where we’re both the lead sponsor and an active participant. It’s an opportunity to get inspired by some of the best creative work in the world, and for our creatives to put their heads together with forward-looking brands to make big ideas happen.
Check out the Creative Week schedule to learn more about what’s on tap this week, and follow the Microsoft Advertising Blog to learn more about our work.