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Modern story, repeatable engine: Orchestrating a multi-partner campaign that scales

Person holding a smartphone displaying a Microsoft Azure cloud service advertisement in one hand and a disposable coffee cup in the other, sitting near a large window with a view outside.

Situation

Knack was tapped to design a full-funnel campaign capable of generating qualified leads, nurturing buyer interest, and converting through in-person hackathon lab events. The deeper challenge was architectural: building a campaign framework that could extend across an entire partner ecosystem, from ISVs to top GSIs like CDW, Zones, and Insight, without losing coherence or attribution along the way.

Insight

Most partner campaigns are built around a single seller, a single product, or a single moment. They're specific by design, which means they don't travel.

Knack saw an opportunity to build differently. By anchoring the story in customer outcomes, the campaign could be localized, co-branded, and handed off across the channel while keeping the core value story and lead flow intact. The result: a reusable multi-partner offer that scaled from ISVs to GSIs without starting over.

Open booklet titled 'Cloud Security for a Good Night's Sleep' featuring a person wearing glasses looking up at cloud and padlock icons, with the booklet open to pages outlining key elements of next-generation security.
Three infographic posters about cloud computing and Microsoft Azure, with text and images of people and icons related to cloud technology.

Solution

PHASE 1: BUILDING THE GTM ENGINE

  • Developed a cloud modernization GTM strategy centered on transformation outcomes for mid-size tech buyers

  • Designed an integrated campaign spanning email, landing pages, gated e-books, nurture flows, and hackathon registration

  • Created a persona-driven journey from awareness through hands-on product trial

  • Structured partner content (including Palo Alto Networks) to drive engagement and pipeline at every stage

Outcome: Strong funnel performance across all stages, with direct sales conversion for featured partners and high hackathon attendance.

PHASE 2: SCALING ACROSS THE PARTNER ECOSYSTEM

  • Extended the campaign framework to CDW, Zones, and Insight, each with a customized partner stack aligned to their solution portfolio

  • Maintained the core value story and buyer journey while localizing execution for each GSI

  • Built clean lead flow and attribution routing so each partner received, owned, and could act on their pipeline

  • Equipped GSIs with co-branded content, tailored CTAs, and a measurable demand journey

Outcome: Multiple partners running a unified story with localized execution. Co-sell velocity increased. Pipeline built for Microsoft, the GSIs, and ecosystem partners simultaneously.

Various digital marketing, cloud computing, and virtualization informational graphics and flyers displayed on a light gray background, with a laptop showing a colorful infographic in the center.

Success

A single campaign architecture, built once and deployed across an ecosystem, delivered above-goal performance at every level of the funnel.

3,500+

LEADS CAPTURED

1,500

REGISTERED OPPORTUNITIES

46%

SQL RATE

$5M+

CONTRIBUTION

15X

ROI

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