Masterclass:
“How to Be a Boss”

WE LAUNCHED MASTERCLASS'S FIRST-EVER BRAND CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE VOGUE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ANNA WINTOUR'S LEADERSHIP COURSE, WHICH WON ADWEEK'S $1 MILLION-$5 MILLION MEDIA CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR.

Overview

MasterClass came to Observatory to create their first-ever brand campaign, "How to Be a Boss," featuring Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue. Coinciding with the launch of Wintour's MasterClass on creativity and leadership, the PR-worthy work transcended traditional advertising, garnering more than 1.6 billion earned media impressions in its first two weeks of launch, all while challenging and inspiring people to greatness. Throughout Lower Manhattan, commuters were greeted every morning with personal and professional advice directly from Anna's MasterClass. Using ten inspiring quotes coupled with iconic portraiture, and grouped in a series of 8 posters, each placement was a mini-lesson on how to approach any career with strength and purpose: "like a boss."

Elements

• Working with Exverus as our paid media partner, we took over all 22 digital screens at the World Trade Center's train station. We covered the New York commuter venue's 54 columns with Wintour's mantras like "Impact isn't seasonal," "You're nothing without your team," and "Own who you are," amongst them.

• Wintour's first session also aired on office building elevator screens in lower and midtown Manhattan.

• Outdoor ads and wild postings were plastered in business districts and in Greenwich Village.

• Print ads in The New York Times Sunday Business section and The New Yorker, and media buys in digital editions were also placed to capture attention on off-hours and weekends.

Outcomes

• 1.6 billion earned media impressions in its first two weeks of launch

• 128 earned media placements, a $1.2MM value

• At the campaign launch, MasterClass traffic grew 30%

• Positive social sentiment grew an incredible 60%

• Brand mentions grew 11x baseline.

• On Instagram, the campaign featured a series of 10 posts, generating more than 405,000 views and 38,000 likes, while the trailer for Wintour's class has been viewed more than 24 million times on YouTube.