microsoft: the hardwear collection
Microsoft may be one of the biggest brands in the world, but it’s not exactly the first name that comes to mind for Gen Z. We set out to spark genuine brand love with a generation that’s been pretty indifferent to the tech giant. That’s when it hit us: Gen Z and Microsoft have something in common—Normcore. That ’90s aesthetic that’s all about embracing simplicity and putting function over fashion. In a way, Microsoft was Normcore before Normcore even had a name.
We teamed up with Gavin Mathieu, Creative Director at Supervsn Studios, to launch "Hardwear"—Microsoft’s first-ever capsule collection. The 16-piece line would be a love letter to that Normcore spirit, blending Microsoft’s most iconic elements (think MSPaint, the Windows ’98 desktop) into everyday, wearable pieces that let you rep your inner creator. Every detail served up nostalgia and functionality, while still feeling fresh and effortlessly cool.
the results
We welcomed 20,000+ new organic and paid followers into the brand social ecosystem: 68% Gen Z, 53% identifying as female
Generated an 82% net positive sentiment
Secured first-time placements for Microsoft in top multicultural and pop culture publications, including Essence, AfroTech, Complex Style, and Hypebeast.
Fans who missed out on the collection recreated their own, selling knock-off merch online.
Most of all, we moved the needle on affinity, seeing a 5+ point increase in brand love with Gen Z.
Agency: Edelman New York