Microsoft — creative direction · brand · environment

I’m showing just a few things from two projects I’ve worked on for Microsoft. The first was branding and signage for the Microsoft Company Store launch, which was open to the public for the first time on the Microsoft Redmond campus in 2009. While there were multiple aspects to the project, for example “how to use” a 12’ bank of monitors that were mounted behind the cashiers, the most excited aspect for me was the branding and style, which turned out to be one of the strongest expressions of the existing Microsoft brand that I’ve ever seen to date. The second project I developed for Microsoft was not produced. While the firm I was working for was the incumbent agency of record for the previous 8 years, in 2008 they were required to pitch their ideas against 3 new firms Microsoft was considering for their massive annual event known as The Microsoft Company Meeting. We did not win the pitch. I was let go during the drama of the loss. Notes about the visuals displayed here are in the captions under the images.

Microsoft Company Store 

THE CREATIVE BRIEF: 
develop a unique expression of the Microsoft brand for the relaunch of the employee store to "Microsoft Company Store," which would open to the public for the first time, include a unique signage experience and conceptualize how in-store monitor experiences should reflect the brand with motion.
​​​​​​​still image of a super slow-moving motion graphic: the arcs drift in and out of focus, moving from the left to the right, hardly dissecting the MS logo, appearing with harder focus under "Company Store" and to the right; highlights run down invisible edges periodically, like drops on an oil lamp. The work was used on interactive entrance signage that I'm unable to show here, plus all the monitors in the stores displayed "app" content, which was my suggestion and which was something brand new in 2007.
While it's not much, below is a bag with the brand expression on it. I enjoy these fun details.
creative direction - scott j bailey, agency - PBJS, Seattle
Microsoft Company Meeting

THE CREATIVE BRIEF: 
Name, and develop, a unique branded expression of the '08 Microsoft Company Meeting, shown here with 3D models of the stage design.  
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