Driving business value with a hero asset-centric campaign

What we did together was run a perfect marketing campaign.

Megan Arnold

Senior Cloud Marketing Manager, NetApp

What does it take to run a perfect marketing campaign? We believe it takes know-how, experience, a little magic, and, of course, a team of passionate marketers who are committed to specific outcomes.

When NetApp and Microsoft approached Mercer-MacKay to create a demand generation campaign that would build an opportunity funnel for NetApp’s Blue XP Cloud Volumes ONTAP (CVO) solutions on Azure marketplace, they had high expectations.

“It was an opportunity for us both to invest together to drive pipeline for our CVO solution which had recently become available to transact on Azure marketplace,” said Megan Arnold, Senior Cloud Marketing Manager at NetApp. “We selected Mercer-MacKay because we needed to work with an agency that had deep roots and experience with NetApp solutions, Azure marketplace, and our audience comprised of both technical and line-of- business influencers and decision-makers. We also selected Mercer-MacKay because they were willing to stand behind the high metrics that our co investment demanded.”

The beginning

Tell stories that your audience can relate to

Mercer-MacKay suggested creating a campaign around a hero asset. Together we selected one of NetApp’s premiere customers – Porsche Motorsport – and told the story of how this major automotive company overcame a significant data management challenge using NetApp BlueXP CVO technology on Microsoft Azure.

The hero asset focused on a compelling narrative that most people could relate to, and that would capture the imagination of the audience. Everywhere it competes, Porsche Motorsport needs to make sure that all race team collaborators are seeing and working on the same data – whether they ’re at the track, at its Weissach, Germany Porsche Motorsport HQ, or somewhere else. This is especially true in the ABB Formula E World Championship: a data-intensive motorsport of the highest order. For the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team to succeed in its quest for a championship, they need all of their data to be synchronized across every access point – before, during, and after the race. At the same time, data must be secure and backed up, with all archives remaining accessible from any location.

NetApp BlueXP CVO, running on Azure, unlocked the ability to access, analyze, and act on that data in real time, transforming the Porsche team’s operations and accelerating innovation. This story became the cornerstone of our content strategy, providing a tangible, relatable example of the impact the technology could deliver.

Metrics matter

Over the course of five months, this campaign generated over 2266 MQLs, booked 120 qualified meetings, created a pipeline worth $13M, and tracked approximately $3M in closed deals, showcasing the power of strategic storytelling, multichannel marketing, and a personalized approach to nurturing leads. We optimized the campaign daily and created new content based on the data that the campaign was uncovering.

The approach

Integrated marketing for the win

The campaign ran across multiple demand channels, both organic and paid, and included nurturing prospects through personalized, high- value content. This multilayered approach culminated in one-on-one meetings with Azure cloud solution data experts, helping potential customers envision the same transformation in their organizations.

Campaign strategy

To maximize the reach and impact of this campaign, we created a structured approach based on the hero asset’s story. The strategy included:

Hero asset development

We started by developing the central hero asset – a detailed case study that showcased the success of the automotive company in overcoming its data challenges with NetApp BlueXP on Azure. This asset became the focal point of all campaign activities, creating a strong narrative around the business impact of the solution.

Content repurposing and distribution

The hero asset was adapted into multiple content pieces to drive interest across various channels. We created blog posts, whitepapers, social media posts, infographics, and videos, each telling a segment of the core story. These pieces were designed to create touchpoints for prospects at different stages of the buyer’s journey, from awareness to consideration.

Multichannel demand generation

We ran the campaign across both organic and paid demand channels. Organic efforts included SEO-optimized blog posts, LinkedIn content, and email nurturing campaigns. Paid efforts employed LinkedIn Ads, Google Ads,
Content Syndication and targeted display ads that drove prospects to our key assets and landing pages.

Nurture streams

To engage the audience further, we created nurture streams that provided ongoing high-value content to prospects who interacted with our campaign. Each stream included targeted emails, gated content, and regular touchpoints that reinforced the benefits of the NetApp and Azure partnership.

Events and webinars

To deepen engagement, we organized webinars and workshops where Azure cloud solution data experts discussed real-world applications of BlueXP in solving data management challenges. These events served as an opportunity to showcase expertise, create trust, and provide attendees with immediate value.

Key tactic: Personalized outreach through BDRs

One of the unique success factors of this campaign was the incorporation of Mercer-MacKay Business Development Representatives (BDRs) into our strategy. The BDRs were tasked with personally calling and connecting with the most engaged individuals in the nurture stream. This human element added a personal touch, ensuring that the warmest leads were given the attention they needed to move further down the sales funnel.

The BDRs took care of booking one-on-one meetings with Azure cloud solution experts and participated in the handover process, ensuring a seamless transition between the marketing and sales teams. This warm handover was instrumental in ensuring that each meeting was of high value to the prospect and that the conversation could naturally progress into an opportunity.

The results

Metrics matter: Optimizing daily and reporting weekly

Over the course of five months, this campaign generated over 2266 MQLs, booked 120 qualified meetings, created a pipeline worth $13M, and tracked approximately $3M in closed deals, showcasing the power of strategic storytelling, multichannel marketing, and a personalized approach to nurturing leads. We optimized the campaign daily and created new content based on the data that the campaign was uncovering.

Sponsor feedback

In the words of our sponsor, it was “a perfect campaign.” The combination of a compelling hero asset, multichannel demand generation, ongoing nurturing, personalized BDR outreach, and high-value meetings all contributed to a campaign that met and exceeded the client’s expectations.

Takeaways for success

This campaign proved that a hero asset, when used strategically, can drive significant business results. By centering the campaign around a powerful customer success story and layering in multichannel content, personalized outreach, and expert meetings, we were able to generate substantial revenue and build meaningful relationships between prospects and Azure cloud solution experts. This case study demonstrates the power of collaboration between Microsoft, NetApp, and our marketing team in delivering high-value campaigns that drive measurable results.

Mercer-MacKay created this program for us and ran with it. They managed and optimized it daily and reported monthly to all of the stakeholders.

Megan Arnold

Senior Cloud Marketing Manager, NetApp

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