A man rushes through an office building, panicked about an unfinished spreadsheet just minutes before a big meeting. He hops into an elevator, where a calm colleague notices his distress.
With no time to lose, the colleague opens Microsoft Excel on a laptop and shows off key features like AutoFill and AutoFormat. Within seconds, the spreadsheet is complete and polished. As the elevator doors open, the man walks confidently into his meeting, armed with the finished report. Crisis averted—thanks to Excel.
The Formula (That Works at Any Budget)
Painful truth = Manual spreadsheets waste time
The ad captures a common workplace struggle: trying to finish complex spreadsheets under pressure.
→ Lesson: Start with a high-stress, relatable scenario to immediately connect with your audience.
Solution in action = Automation with AutoFill & AutoFormat
Rather than explain features, the ad demonstrates Excel solving the problem in real time.
→ Lesson: Use direct, visual examples of how your product works to solve real problems.
Outcome = Success delivered in seconds
The transformation—from panic to polish—shows exactly what Excel enables: time saved, stress reduced, and a great first impression.
→ Lesson: Make the user’s success the center of your story. Sell the benefit, not just the tool.
Humor Breakdown
The humor is subtle and situational. The contrast between the man’s chaos and the calm of his Excel-savvy colleague turns a typical office nightmare into a light, feel-good moment. It’s a classic case of tech-as-hero.
→ Lesson: Use gentle exaggeration and contrast to add levity without distracting from the message.
Final Verdict
Microsoft Excel nails the message with this short, effective ad. It dramatizes a familiar problem—last-minute spreadsheet stress—and resolves it with an instant, real-time demo of Excel’s automation features. The confined elevator setting builds tension and showcases the solution’s speed.
The final feeling is clear: with Excel, power is simple, fast, and available exactly when you need it.
BRAVE-o-meter Score
B-6 | R-8 | A-7 | V-6 | E-8
BRAVE – 7.0/10
Watch the full ad & learn more:
Website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/excel
LinkedIn: Microsoft on LinkedIn
