Marketing a Research Lab

Attracting the best research talent in the computing world is a competitive business; Microsoft Research Silicon Valley wanted a brochure about their lab that would help their recruiting efforts.  After some telephone conferences to establish the scope of the project, I met with the director and assistant director of the lab to establish the correct tone and messages for the brochure. 

They emphasized the culture of collaboration at the lab, reflected in everything from building design and décor to flexible office hours.  They also wanted to make it clear that Microsoft Research puts a priority on advancing the state of the art in computing research for the industry overall, not just for Microsoft. 

A few things became clear over the course of the day.  First, that the most compelling words a potential candidate could read about the work environment at Microsoft Research Silicon Valley are words from another researcher. Next, that we would need several photographs of the lab to properly convey how every gathering spot in the building was also equipped to support discussions and brainstorming.  I interviewed a number of researchers and we took some photos.  The result was  a brochure with photos and quotes that conveyed a positive and accurate image of the lab’s working environment.