• Language
    • ENGLISH
    • GERMAN
    • SPANISH
    • FRENCH
    • ITALIAN
    • JAPANESE
    • PORTUGUESE
    • CHINESE
    • RUSSIAN

Get your own Little Black Book.

Build your own personal news stream. Discover the latest work created that interests you, share your favourite stories and follow your favourite people and companies

Already have an account?

Lost password
Creative

A Dog Finds Joy in Microsoft-Packed Dream in the Brand's Joyous Christmas Ad

McCann North America, Thu, Dec 03, 2020

McCann New York and Noam Murro capture sleeping pooch's venture through Dogtopia via Minecraft, Halo, Teams and Flight Simulator

A Dog Finds Joy in Microsoft-Packed Dream in the Brand's Joyous Christmas Ad

There's no doubt this has been a tough year. Many of us are separated from those we love and are finding it hard to find our usual holiday spirit. Microsoft, along with its agency McCann New York, wanted to acknowledge that reality but, at the same time, offer some hope and positivity through the many ways Microsoft can help you stay connected and have some fun.

The brand's Christmas ad, 'Find Your Joy (A Dog’s Dream)', tells the story of Rufus, a dog who can’t physically be with his best bud, but through his dreams can experience the joy of togetherness and friendship. Together, they go on an epic adventure into the worlds of Minecraft, Halo, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Flight Simulator, just like Rufus’ humans.


This campaign follows Microsoft's 'Holiday Magic: Lucy and the Reindeer' spot of last year where Lucy, through the 'magic' of Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Translator, allowed Lucy to get some inside scoop from the Reindeer. A press release reads that each year McCann tries to build on a core product or brand truth and how that intersects with and amplifies the sentiments and needs of the season. This year is no different. Microsoft's products can help bring people together and bring them joy - even in challenging times. The brand is encouraging people to 'find their joy' and if we can’t be together physically, we can 'See you out there' in many imaginary and virtual ways.

Kathleen Hall, CVP, brand, advertising and research, Microsoft, said: "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."

The spot is full of Microsoft products such as Teams, Halo, Xbox, Minecraft and Microsoft Flight Simulator. Consumers are able to experience elements of the spot themselves. Rufus' doggy dream will be available to download and explore in Minecraft. The team at Blockworks have released Dogtopia as a free download available from Minecraft Marketplace and for Java. Run through a colourful bone-shaped forest, where bacon grows on trees and there are never any fleas. This world will be complete with doggie hot air balloons, a mountaintop dog mansion, a fire hydrant fountain, a doggie Mount Rushmore and more.


Microsoft will also be making custom Teams backgrounds available, and in mid-December Flight Simulator will be decorating 12 cities around the globe with holiday lights and magic, a holiday scavenger hunt for every Flight Simulator pilot to enjoy. Also, closer to Christmas, we'll be making the planes our dogs flew in our ad available for Flight Simulator players to fly themselves.

Featured Companies: Craft , MPC New York

Sign up to our newsletters and stay up to date with the best work and breaking ad news from around the world.
Client

Client: Microsoft

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, Hannah Westing and Dawn Novak

Social Media Manager: Danielle Radcliffe

Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator: Jorg Neumann

Agency

Agency: McCann New York

Co-Chief Creative Officers: Sean Bryan and Tom Murphy

EVP, Global Executive Creative Directors: Shayne Millington and Piper Hickman

Creative Directors: Ferdinand Daniele and Stephanie Cajucom

Art Director: Gabie Fleischer

Copywriter: Jessica New

Designers: Gonzalo Hergueta and Yung Lee

Junior Designer: Malik Dupree

Director of Creative Technology: David Cliff

Creative Technologist: Hiya Vazirani and Alicia Foor

Business Leadership

Managing Director, McCann NY: Kevin Nelson

EVP, Global Chief Communications Officer, McCann Worldgroup: Jeremy Miller

EVP, Global Business Lead: Scot Beck

SVP Group Account Director: Socrates Papazoglou

Account Supervisor: Patricia Burelli

Senior Account Executive: Divya Joseph

Project Management

Project Manager: Monica Daniels

Production

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 and Sean Flanigan

SVP, Executive Music Producer: Eric Johnson (aka DJ Bunny)

Music Producer: Dan Gross

Business Manager, Music: Jamie Jou

Strategy

EVP, Global Director of Strategy & Research: Ash Farr

Strategy Director: Jordan Berger

Business Affairs

EVP, Talent Partnerships: Danielle Korn

Business Manager: David Halberstadt

VP Director Talent Payment: Terry Marcello

Talent Payment Manager: Rosemary Smith

Film Production

Production company: Biscuit Filmworks

Director: Noam Murro

Partner / Managing Director: Shawn Lacy

Executive Producer: Andrew Travelstead

Head of Production: Rachel Glaub and Sean Moody

Producer: Emily Skinner

Production Supervisor: Jennifer Berry

Post production

Post production: MPC

Executive Producer: Matthew Loranger

Producers: Elias Bermudez Jr and Stefani Na

Shoot Supervisor: Daniel Seddon

2D Lead: Rob Walker

CG Supervisor: Tim Kafka

Colourist: Vincent Taylor

Colour Producer: Kay Carpenter

Colour Assistant: Tyler Robinson

Edit

Editor: Damion Clayton

Assistant Editor: Michael Shugarman

Managing Director: Eve Kornblum

Producer: Jenny Greenfield

Photographer

Photographer: Giant Artists

Photographer: David Black

Craft New York

Senior Print Producer: Michelle Massaro

Retouchers: Lorrena Lapouge and Andrew Bacha

Music and Sound

Sound company: Sonic Union

Sound Designer/Mix Engineer: Michael Marinelli

Head of Production: Pat Sullivan

JSM

CCO/CEO/Co-Composer: Joel Simon

VP/Executive Producer: Jeff Fiorello

Co-Composer: Jonathan Russell

Producer: Norm Felker, Andrew Manning and Sharon Cha

Blockworks (Minecraft Dogtopia)

Founder and Managing Director: James Delaney

Category: Gaming , Sports and Leisure

Recommended by

RECOMMEND