Derek Messling

About Derek Messling

I build integrated growth marketing plans that don’t just perform, they connect. As Global Paid Acquisition and Media Manager at Microsoft, I have 10+ years of experience building and scaling transformative paid media programs across 97+ markets. My expertise spans product marketing strategy, data analysis, and creative experimentation, with a focus on aligning marketing investment with sales priorities. By developing Microsoft\'s first Account-Based Marketing (ABM) campaigns and launching connected mid-funnel initiatives, I have delivered measurable impact, including a 204% increase in trial conversion rates through integrated campaign strategies. I specialize in crafting full-funnel marketing solutions that connect brand messaging with lower-funnel outcomes. From scaling AI-powered creative tools to driving pipeline growth through audience-centric campaigns, I bring a data-driven yet creative approach to every project. Passionate about innovation and collaboration, I aim to empower teams to execute bold ideas with precision and measurable success.If you’re into bold ideas, clean execution, and a little bit of fun along the way, let’s connect.

Experience

1. Global Paid Acquisition and Media Manager

   Microsoft

   May 2018 — Present · Redmond, WA, US

   Built, managed, and scaled Microsoft’s ABM and Mid-Funnel programs to 97+ markets, managing over $100M in media budgets and aligning marketing investment with sales priorities across global regions.• Developed paid media strategy for Microsoft\'s first Account Based Marketing campaigns, developing the playbook to scale connected sales and marketing efforts globally.• Built and launched Microsoft’s Audience Conversation Campaign program, introducing a mid-funnel engagement layer that strategically connects brand messaging to lower-funnel lead gen and direct acquisition outcomes.• Delivered a 204% increase in trial conversion among audiences exposed to both mid-funnel and lower-funnel campaigns, validating the impact of cross-funnel exposure.• Led integration of Adobe Firefly and GenStudio AI tools into creative workflows to accelerate asset production, enable real-time web personalization, and support multi-platform resizing and localization.• Restructured paid investment strategy to prioritize audience-aligned messaging (Developer, ITDM/BDM, CISO), enabling retargeting into high-performing lower-funnel campaigns and driving measurable conversion lift.• Directed quarterly narrative briefing cycles and creative development workflows, including copy/design reviews, stakeholder approvals, and final asset delivery across global media and web teams.• Partnered with branded media outlets (e.g, WSJ, NYT, Vox) to extend Copilot campaign reach through high-impact storytelling and contextual placements, enhancing brand perception and warming audiences for downstream acquisition.• Championed creative experimentation by testing new ad formats (social, search, DOOH, display, OLV, etc), modular content, and audience-personalized assets to optimize mid-funnel engagement and downstream conversion.• Developed and managed the digital marketing scorecard to track, analyze, and report on strategy while extracting insights that inform the broader strategy continuously.

Education

• Western Washington University

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

Skills

• Campaign Management
• Media Relations
• Social Media Advertising
• Web Content Creation
• Digital Marketing
• Community Management
• Social Media Marketing
• Editing
• Brand Management
• Corporate Blogging
• Lead Generation
• Social Media
• Mobile Campaigns