Cisco CRS-1 Enterprise-Level Server Print Campaign – Cisco Systems, Inc.
Senior Copywriter
Ogilvy Interactive Worldwide | New York
In 2004, Cisco Systems was preparing the launch of its CRS-1, the latest in enterprise-level networking hardware. At that time, the technology was so new that the client didn’t even fully understand how it worked. They provided us with a stack of information, and I spent the first part of the project just culling it all down into business benefits. The language in the documents was so tech-heavy, I literally had to cut them apart. At one point, my desk was just a pile of one-sentence clippings (I must have looked like a serial killer). Next up, I selected the points I wanted to hit, and then began crafting the actual language. We presented the work to the client over the phone. I read through the copy and it was met by a brief silence on the other end. Then the client spoke up (with a laugh) and said “Um, I think you guys know more about the product than we do. Nice work!”