Microsoft Learning "Kung Fu" Launch Video

Spin Creative produced this "Launch" video for Microsoft Learning, as part of a marketing campaign to launch a new website targeting the Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) community.
The creative assignment to Spin was to develop a strategy for the videos to include a "Teaser" and "Launch" video, in a comedic style that would grab the attention of the audience, inform them that a new and better website is launching and drive traffic to the new website. The early vision shared by the client team included a throwing star and a ninja –– and a desire to build a story from these components that connected with the MCT audience. Taking these kernels of ideas Spin Creative went to work developing a creative plan, along with writing concepts and scripts for the videos.
We locked onto a comedic parody approach for the videos based on the 70's “Kung Fu” TV show featuring a Master Kung Fu expert (“Master Po” renamed "Master Pro" for our videos) teaching wisdom to his "Student" about the new MCT website portal and the importance of its launch. It seemed a natural creative framework to use since the TV show features a "Teacher" and "Student" interacting in serious dramatic form, providing ample opportunity for parody. It worked well too because MCTs are teachers and spend much of the time with students so there was good alignment between the world of MCTs and the "Kung Fu" TV show.
The actors in the "Teaser" and "Launch" videos are actually not actors! They're each well-known in the MCT community and the idea with featuring them as the characters was to let the audience have some fun and laughs, seeing folks they know.
The "Teaser" video was done in a dramatic "movie trailer" fashion and delivered first, prior to the launch of the website, to get the audience excited and build anticipation for the launch date. Then on the actual launch of the website this longer "feature film" ("Launch" video) was released.
We storyboarded each video ("Teaser" and "Launch") and shot green screen on a sound stage in Seattle. We then later created and added the 3D virtual set environments to match the feel of an ancient Shaolin Monastery (similar to the original "Kung Fu" TV show). A team of professional make-up artists were brought in to create the look of "Master Pro" and "Student," adding bald caps to each, as well as adding Fu Manchu-like facial hair to "Master Pro."
The "Launch" video along with the "Teaser" video helped raise awareness, created a buzz in the MCT community and contributed to the successful launch campaign for the website.