'Free Range Working' wins Best use of PR for Microsoft Mobile Communications Business

Microsoft's Mobile Communications Business produces Windows Mobile software, an operating system for smart mobile phones, which allows users access to email, the internet and messaging.

Microsoft wanted to show its commitment to bringing about a more mobile working lifestyle. The campaign therefore had to interest businesses and industry partners in flexible working while also bringing something new to the work/life balance debate, and generate positive national media coverage.

Flexible working
For Microsoft to claim to be the industry leader on mobile working, the campaign needed to:

• Justify the need for companies and individuals to assess how they are working.
• Retain credibility by not being directly related to Microsoft's Windows Mobile products.                                                                                                      
• Include a visual hook to bring mobile working to life, especially for broadcast media.
• Start a long-term programme showing Microsoft is a real champion for mobile workers.

Using independent research results, business mobility messages were divided into topics such as productivity, work/life balance, innovation, sharing experiences and best practice, the new kind of worker, 'Moofers' or Mobile Out of Office workers  was identified as someone who works from whatever location is best suited to the task in hand.