For Microsoft’s highly anticipated Surface PC tablet, the Pastilla team established visual guidelines for the print and outdoor advertising campaign and directed its roll out to the U.S. market. The tablet’s release was a major first for Microsoft, with Surface being the tech giant’s initial foray into the mobile computer market. To build momentum for the product, we launched an outdoor street art teaser campaign well in advance of Surface’s release—the first step in our two-pronged campaign deployment strategy. Large chalk illustrations depicting two rectangles appeared overnight on sidewalks and the sides of buildings throughout major metropolitan areas in the United States and Europe. One of the rectangles was composed of dashed lines, implying more visual attributes to follow. Every week, a new element was added to the rectangles; the images evolved into stylized graffiti/chalk art renditions of the Surface tablet. Spurring much speculation and curiosity throughout tech and design circles and the general public, the street art teaser ignited widespread media coverage and word of mouth.
