Microsoft Azure Infrastructure | Indigo Slate, A Zensar company

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Microsoft Azure Infrastructure

Microsoft

Visualizing Microsoft’s cloud

We built an immersive digital experience to showcase the world’s most trusted cloud.

Overview

Microsoft Azure has invested billions into growing one of the world’s biggest clouds. With datacenter regions located all across the globe, capabilities that optimize network performance, and innovations that enable organizations to invent with purpose, Azure is paving the path of data in the cloud—but all of these were fragmented across channels, and awareness around Azure investments into cloud infrastructure was lacking. Indigo Slate was tasked with building education and unifying the siloed conversations around cloud infrastructure into one immersive experience

Client name

Microsoft

Discipline

brand

Approach

Working across engineering, marketing, and brand teams, we developed a 3D web experience that allows users to learn about the many investments Azure has made in one place. We focused on making it easy and enjoyable for users to learn about key messaging pillars, including sustainability, reliability, and trust, by connecting the disjointed pieces of the story into a cohesive and compelling narrative. To relay these core elements of Azure’s global infrastructure, we focused on the following three aspects.

System discoverability

Our 3D web experience demonstrates what each region has to offer while showcasing the overall global footprint of Azure.

A person holding a tablet device in a field

Azure investments

The Microsoft Cloud is the world’s most trusted cloud for a reason. We illustrate the innovations that put Microsoft at the top of the list in the infrastructure space.

A submarine cable that connects the US to Europe coiled up in a ship

Education

We break down the building blocks that make up Azure infrastructure and walk users through how they work together.

Solution

With our easy-to-navigate 3D experience, we’ve created a space for users to see how Azure’s modern datacenters work. Users can explore the globe by filtering down to the topics they’re most interested in, from sustainability projects to disaster recovery options, or selecting individual regions on the globe to learn more. By scrolling through the story, they can learn all about what Azure is doing in sustainability, security, reliability, and innovation.

A laptop screen showing the Azure Global Infrastructure map experience

A 3D globe in dark colors with multicolored location dots

Our core identity elements will be the foundation of our visual identity. We will see an evolution of how we use photography and illustration, and technology is allowing us to use motion in new ways.

There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done to bring the brand to life consistently across Microsoft. We’re creating new and better brand experiences and looking for new ways to connect with our customers.

Ron Sasaki

Design Director, Microsoft Brand Studios

Results

By bringing Azure’s global investments, capabilities, and innovation into one place, we’ve broadened awareness and brought education around a complex topic to a larger audience.

See the experience live

Servers and a map in a screenshot about trust in cloud computing

A closeup of Brazil Northeast on a 3D map

Information and pictures of the Marea cable next to a 3D globe

Green hexagons glowing on an animated globe

Green hexagons, lines, and dots glowing on an animated globe

Green and white hexagons, dots, and blobs glowing on an animated globe

White glowing hexagons connected by orange lines with green glowing spots in the background on an animated globe

Credits

Group Creative Director

Jeremy Bonner

Creative Strategist

Kyleene Finley

Technical Strategist

Tyler Sanz

Principal Designer

Catherine Lin

Senior Designer

Mikey Ferdinand

Designer

River Marchand

UI Director

Jose Araya

UI Developer

Baris Ceylon

3D Technical Artist

Rory Emmons

UX Designer

Josue Porra

Manager of Technical Editing and Writing

Rachel Wagoner

Manager of Quality Assurance

Nicole Fourman

Quality Assurance Specialist

Camille Seguette

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