by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, March 10, 2017

Dell Technologies, the umbrella for seven companies, recently launched its first campaign since closing on the $67 billion acquisition of EMC last September 2016. The branded campaign aims to teach agencies, brands and consumers about the new organization.

The campaign — anchored in the idea that the Dell tech companies exist to drive human progress — will roll out in time for the South By Southwest (SXSW) festival in Texas in multiple phases across search, social, video, out-of-home, print and television, said Liz Matthews, SVP of global brand and creative at Dell.

It takes more than magic to create a digital transformation, Matthews said — but the campaign reel she shared with Search Marketing Daily pictures a women in a fairy dress waving a magic wand, saying “you can’t just wave a wand and poof, create a data center.”

“We know people typically begin with search,” Matthews said.

Search — organic and paid advertising — and social advertising campaigns will run on desktop and mobile throughout the 2017 campaign. About 70 pieces of content on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram will support the campaign.

Out-of-home and digital ads kicked off this week, with billboards running in Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, and Boston Logan International Airport.

The first 60-second television advertisement will run on March 22, 2017. Three brand spots will follow detailing stories from Columbia Sportswear, General Electric, and India-based Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale. Then native advertisements will begin running in April.

The television spots were directed by Tom Hooper, the winner of an Academy Award for The King’s Speech, and Westworld star Jeffrey Wright to help narrate the stories.

Matthews said Dell will use the data from the different media to continually update the content.

MediaPost.com: Search Marketing Daily

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