LinkedIn used the 2016 Academy Awards show to run “Linkedin Closer Than You Think”, an integrated advertising campaign with an astronaut theme. High above Earth, an astronaut works aboard a spacecraft while a voice-over from Linkedin CEO Jeff Weiner discusses pursuing the opportunities that seem out of reach. When NASA asked LinkedIn for help in finding its next astronaut, LinkedIn found three million qualified members. The campaign included digital marketing and a print ad in the New York Times.

The Twitter campaign began on 14 December with the message, “Want to see the world? @NASA is hiring an astronaut & ~3M U.S. LinkedIn members qualify: http://bit.ly/1Uo11Nj”, linking to the NASA Linkedin Astronaut Candidate page.

Want to see the world? @NASA is hiring an astronaut & ~3M U.S. LinkedIn members qualify: https://t.co/m4ha87Esdb pic.twitter.com/tDX0lKHEyU

— LinkedIn (@LinkedIn) December 14, 2015

Dream big. Find a career that fills you with purpose: https://t.co/Y8UG3xCU24 #CloserThanYouThink pic.twitter.com/9owKJPmQo5

— LinkedIn (@LinkedIn) February 29, 2016

Not everyone will go to the moon, but everyone can start the journey. https://t.co/3RUvxIH5lT #CloserThanYouThink pic.twitter.com/ZEKQkj8PmX

— LinkedIn (@LinkedIn) March 3, 2016

Let yourself be inspired: principles to building a culture of creativity https://t.co/ccaQxAQT79 #CloserThanYouThink pic.twitter.com/Hb9htSouag

— LinkedIn (@LinkedIn) March 4, 2016

The campaign connects readers with the Linkedin microsite, linkedin.com/closerthanyouthink, where they can tune into top companies, thought leaders, and skills in the world of technology, and blog posts “What’s your Moonshot?” and “Building a Culture of Creativity” by Nick Bartle.

Credits

The Linkedin Closer Than You Think campaign was developed at BBDO San Francisco in conjunction with LinkedIn’s in-house creative studio. Footage was provided by NASA. Media was handled at Spark SMG.

Music is “California Stars”, performed by Billy Bragg and Wilco.

Dialogue comes from a recording of the Translunar Injection and Docking sequence, Apollo 10, May 1969, featuring the voices of Eugene A. Cernan (We’re a little closer”) and support crew Charles M. Duke, Jr (“Oh boy that’s beautiful”).