Hyperscaler Campaign

Naming Convention Requirements

When working with hyperscaler partners like AWS and Google Cloud, it’s important to follow specific naming conventions and configuration procedures. This guide explains each component of this process in detail.

Every campaign involving a hyperscaler partner must specify the Hyperscaler Partner Name after the date:

YYYYMMDD_HyperscalerName_Campaign_CampaignType_Region

Examples:

• 20251202_AWS_AWSreinvent_Booth
• 20250409_GCP_GoogleCloudNext_Booth
• 20241114_AWS_devops.com_ModernizingFinServe_emea_amer

If there are Hyperscaler Funds involved, ensure you include the type of Funds are applied to the Campaign after the Hyperscaler Name.

• MDF: Market Development Funds for 50% coverage
• CR: Credits for 100% coverage

Examples:

• 20250307_AWS_MDF_Campaign_CampaignType_Region
• 20250307_GCP_CR_Campaign_CampaignType_Region

Reference the Campaigns and Programs page for naming conventions for specific campaign types.

Salesforce Configuration Requirements

When setting up these campaigns in Salesforce, you need to take two critical actions:

1. Set the field Is Hyperscaler Involved? to True - This flags the campaign as a partnership activity.

2. Select the appropriate partner under the Hyperscaler field - Choose either:

   1. Amazon Web Services
   2. Google Cloud (Partner)

3. Select the Fund Type under Will there be Hyperscaler Funding?

   1. MDF
   2. Credits

This configuration ensures proper attribution and tracking of partnership activities. Note that, Hyperscaler MDF is only in referrance to AWS MDF, as that is currently the MDF that’s available for GitLab.

Campaign Types Covered by These Guidelines

These naming conventions and configuration requirements apply to all activities where hyperscalers are involved, including:

• Exhibition booths at hyperscaler-hosted events (such as Google Cloud Next or AWS Summit)
• Presence at major corporate events (like AWS reInvent)
• Joint webinars with hyperscaler partners
• Digital marketing campaigns including content syndication and advertising
• Any events or activities that utilize AWS MDF (Market Development Funds) or Google credits

Special Instructions for Content Syndication Teams

If you work with content syndication, you have an additional step: You must update the Asset Name in the Marketo token of the Content Syndication Folder to include the Hyperscaler Name.

This ensures consistency across all platforms and makes reporting and attribution more accurate. The Marketo Program Description field has been recently updated to include a reminder about adding hyperscaler partner names to campaign names whenever these partners are involved.

Following these guidelines carefully ensures proper tracking, reporting, and compliance with partnership agreements, while also making campaigns easier to find and manage across systems.

Hyperscaler Funded Campaign

Hyperscaler funded campaign represent a strategic partnership mechanism through which cloud hyperscalers like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) provide financial support to partners like GitLab for joint marketing initiatives.

Presently, the Hyperscaler funds are only available to the Regional Marketing team. We will be working in iteration to support additional marketing teams.

These funding programs operate under different models that reflect each hyperscaler’s partnership approach:

• AWS MDF Program: Follows a matching investment model. This means for every dollar AWS contributes, GitLab must match with its own dollar.
• Google Credits Program: Unlike AWS, Google offers 100% reimbursement for approved marketing activities. This model allows GitLab to execute campaigns and receive full reimbursement upon providing proof that the activities were completed successfully.

From GitLab’s perspective, these funds enable more expansive marketing campaigns than possible while strengthening strategic partnerships with major cloud providers. The partnership creates a “better together” narrative that helps customers understand the enhanced value proposition of GitLab running on these cloud platforms.

Key Roles in the Hyperscaler Funded Campaign

1. Program Owner (Francine): Primary contact with Hyperscaler Partners

   1. Oversees the entire MDF program
   2. Reviews internal MDF request entries with Hyperscalers
   3. Submit MDF request, when approved, we’ll receive a PO
   4. Request an invoice from AR team provide the PO and MDF Approval Email via issue
   5. Submit claim with proof of performance (receipt) to the Hyperscaler portal

2. Fund Requesters: Initiates funding requests

   1. Fill out the appropriate spreadsheet with campaign details
   2. Provides Target MQL and Target Pipeline Goals

3. Campaign Owners/Operations (Fund Requester can also be a Campaign Owner)

   1. Set up the Allocadia activity
   2. Create the GitLab Hyperscaler Funds issue
   3. Add Hyperscaler Funds issue link to spreadsheet
   4. Activate issue sync to create Asana project to manage their campaign
   5. Manages execution and setup for Marketo and Salesforce
   6. Open Zip request
   7. Send Program Owner receipts for Proof of Performance

Application Process

1. Complete the Google Sheet:

   1. AWS: Marketing calendar - spreadsheet

   2. GCP: Marketing calendar - spreadsheet

   3. Complete all required fields, including:

      1. Strategic Alignment
      2. Region
      3. Activity Type and Description
      4. Proposed Start and End Date
      5. Total Cost
      6. Amount Requested
      7. Target MQL
      8. Target Pipeline

2. Submit for Review:

   1. Tag Francine for approval in the Google spreadsheet
   2. Include any supporting materials that strengthen your case (past performance of similar activities, customer interest data, etc.)

Approval Process

1. Initial Screening: Francine will review your application to ensure it meets basic requirements and aligns with strategic priorities.

2. Hyperscaler Partner Approval: Upon preliminary approval, Francine will review and seek approval for the activity and confirm funding amount from the Hyperscaler Partner.

3. System Configuration: Once approved by the Hyperscaler Partner,

   1. Campaign Owner will open the Allocadia activity and Hyperscaler Funded GitLab issue
   2. Campaign Owner will be responsible for creating the Marketo campaign and sync to Salesforce using the Allocadia Subcategory ID (found in the Hyperscaler Funded GitLab issue)

Set up

Allocadia

The Campaign Owner will be responsible for opening the Allocadia activity under the Regional Marketing > AMER > Hyperscaler plan.

1. Create subcategory and line item

   1. Different accounting approaches apply based on the hyperscaler. AWS campaigns show both the positive contribution and the matching negative amount, while GCP campaigns show the full reimbursable amount.

2. Details panel

   1. Planning:

      1. New FO or Growth
      2. Target MQL (syncs to SFDC Planned MQL)
      3. Target Pipeline (syncs to SFDC Planned Pipeline)
      4. Sales Dev Onsite Support
      5. Sales Dev Invite Support
      6. Subcategory (FM)
      7. GTM Motion
      8. Start Date
      9. End Date
      10. Triple Play
      11. Embedded Systems
      12. Is Hyperscaler Involved? = True
      13. Hyperscaler
      14. Will there be Hyperscaler funding?
      15. Hyperscaler Funding Amount
      16. SA Support
      17. Segment
      18. Geo
      19. Country
      20. Vendor

   2. Wishlist/Cancelled

      1. Cancelled

   3. Campaign Details

      1. Existing Salesforce Campaign
      2. Campaign Link
      3. Have you selected an existing Campaign above or will you be creating a new one?
      4. Campaign Name to be Created (Mkto/SFDC)
      5. Campaign Owner
      6. Budget Holder = hyper
      7. Campaign Type

   4. GitLab Issue Details

      1. Requester User Handle
      2. Campaign Operations User Handle (fill this out if you aren’t FM)
      3. Operational Program Owner = Francine
      4. Partner User Handle = @fanthony2
      5. In Person Event Type
      6. GitLab Issue Template = Hyperscaler
      7. Official Event/Campaign Name
      8. GitLab Marketing Issue Link (Auto-populated)
      9. GitLab Issue URL Reference (Manual entry)

3. Action: Create GitLab Hyperscaler Funded Issue in the Regional Marketing GitLab Project

GitLab Issue

The GitLab Hyperscaler Funded Campaign issue will be used as an intermediate step prior to syncing to Asana.

1. Campaign Owner will be responsible for entering the details include region and activity quarter labels to GitLab Hyperscaler Funds issue.
2. Program Manager will request for invoice from AR using the finance issue, including PO and payment terms. MDF - Example
3. Once the GitLab Hyperscaler Funds issue details are complete, Campaign Owner adds the Asana-Sync-Project to the GitLab Hyperscaler Funds issue and the FMM and FMC to start the Plan to WIP process
4. Campaign Owner will add the Asana project link to the Resources section in the GitLab Hyperscaler Funded Campaign issue

Asana Project

To accommodate the Regional Marketing process in Asana, we have integrated the steps for Hyperscaler Funded Campaigns into the Plan to WIP process. The Regional Marketing Asana template incorporates the hyperscaler process details in the appropriate tasks.

Pre-Event

1. Create Marketo/ SFDC campaign with add the Hyperscaler Name and Hyperscaler Fund Type after the date in the Campaign Name - reference a handbook for naming convention. _Examples: 20250307_AWS_MDF_ActivityType_ActivityName_Region; 20250307_GCP_CR_ActivityType_ActivityName_Region (Details provided in the program tracking task in the Regional Marketing Asana template)

   1. Create Marketo program under the Hyperscaler Funded Campaign folder
   2. Sync the Marketo program to Salesforce using the Hyperscaler Funded Campaign Allocadia Subcategory ID
   3. Update the links to Marketo and Salesforce in the Asana Project Overview

2. Opens the Zip request (Details provided in the contract request task in the Regional Marketing Asana template)

   1. Acquire Contract/Invoice for the Marketing Activity
   2. Select the appropriate purchase type: Sponsorships & Regional Marketing
   3. Enter the amount of the total contract cost
   4. In the Allocadia ID, specify the Line Item ID (positive value) of the Hyperscaler Fund Allocadia activity in the Zip request
   5. Add Francine as a follower to the Zip request
   6. Update the link to Zip request in the Asana Project Overview

Post-Event

Details provided in the Ecosystem section in the Regional Marketing Asana template

1. Attach Proof of Payment (POP) to the Asana Project and tag Francine

   1. Third-party receipts showing actual costs are required for cash reimbursement. It should clearly show a date, after the fund requests approval and the paid amount.

2. Update the appropriate hyperscaler spreadsheet with Actual MQL and Pipeline 2 weeks after the end of the event.

Transfer Budget to Hyperscaler

When marketing teams have additional budget to spare, they can strategically transfer funds to maximize partnership opportunities. By submitting a budget transfer request to the Hyperscaler Activity Plan, teams can unlock co-marketing resources, potential matching funds, and expanded collaborative campaigns. If you have any questions regarding transferring funds, please reach out to your FP&A POC.

PLEASE NOTE: FP&A is involved in this process and will be tracking all fund transfers for future budgeting.

When submitting the Zip request, it is critical to ensure the Allocadia ID reflects a positive value, which accurately supports proper financial tracking.

Channel/Hyperscaler MDF Use Cases

In the scenario, there are multiple sources of MDF for a marketing activity, where GitLab and Hyperscaler collaborate to fund and execute marketing events. GitLab provides MDF to the partner, Hyperscaler provides MDF as reimbursement to GitLab while executing the event and handling post-event lead follow-up.

Due to Hyperscaler MDF program definition and GitLab’s recent audit requirements, Hyperscaler MDF can only be paid directly to GitLab. All MDF transactions must maintain clear audit trails, with budget management centralized under the Hyperscaler hierarchy in Allocadia. While partners cannot receive Hyperscaler MDF directly, GitLab can pay third-party vendors if they provide proper invoices.

Step 1: Transfer Budget to Hyperscaler Allocadia Activity

1. Go to Allocadia Channel MDF
2. Click the purple “Request Transfer” button
3. Fill out the transfer request form

Step 2: Allocadia Setup

1. In the Hyperscaler activity plan, create event sub-category
2. Add two line items under the sub-category:
   1. Line Item 1: “Channel MDF” - Positive amount (e.g., +$3,000)
   2. Line Item 2: “Hyperscaler MDF” - Negative amount (e.g., -$3,000)

Step 3: Payment Processing

Determine your payment recipient carefully. Direct payments to partners are not allowed per audit requirements, but you can pay third-party vendors with proper invoices. If using the third-party approach, obtain vendor details from your partner and onboard them if they’re not already in the system.

Process two separate transactions:

1. Follow the standard claim process (link to handbook page section) to receive the Hyperscaler MDF payment to GitLab
2. Pay the vendor or partner through GitLab MDF with proper invoicing documentation.

Step 4: GitLab Issue

1. When Field Marketing is managing the marketing activity, use the Hyperscaler MDF GitLab Issue and connect it to the Plan to WIP Asana Project for tracking and execution.

2. When Channel Marketing is managing the marketing activity, use the Channel Marketing MDF GitLab issue:

   1. Create an additional Allocadia activity:

      1. Create a Channel Marketing MDF subcategory and line item with 0 dollar value (in addition to existing Hyperscaler setup)
      2. This allows separate setup of channel marketing aspects while maintaining hyperscaler audit trail

   2. Issue and Project Setup:

      1. Create the Channel Marketing GitLab issue
      2. Link to the MDF Asana Project for standard channel marketing workflow

   3. Program and Payment Coordination:

      1. Use Channel MDF line item to create Marketo program (aligns with standard channel processes)
      2. Use Hyperscaler MDF line items for Zip payment request ( funding must flow through hyperscaler hierarchy for audit compliance)

Third Play Involvement

When Triple Play events involve both GitLab Channel MDF and Hyperscaler MDF, costs are divided into equal thirds among all participating parties: Partner pays 1/3, GitLab pays 1/3, Hyperscaler reimburses 1/3.

Invoice Allocadia Setup

1. Invoice 1 - Channel MDF

   1. Partner receives Invoice 1 for their 1/3 of total event cost

   2. Partner follows standard MDF process for their portion (if using MDF)

      1. Line Item: Channel MDF - positive ⅓ of total event cost

   3. Alternative option: Partner may choose to self-fund their portion without MDF

2. Invoice 2 - Hyperscaler MDF

   1. GitLab receives Invoice 2 for remaining 2/3 of total event cost

   2. Process through standard Coupa workflow with outside vendor

   3. Follow existing Hyperscaler MDF process for the full 2/3 amount

      1. Line Item 1: GitLab MDF - positive 1/3 of total event cost
      2. Line Item 2: Hyperscaler MDF - negative 1/3 of total event cost (reimbursement)

   4. Hyperscaler reimburses GitLab for 1/3 (half of the 2/3 GitLab receives)

   5. Net result: GitLab pays 1/3, Hyperscaler effectively pays 1/3 through reimbursement

Example: Total Event Cost: $9,000

1. Invoice 1 to Partner: $3,000 (Partner handles via their MDF or self-funding)

   1. Channel MDF allocadia entries: $3,000 (½ of Channel MDF paid by Partner)

2. Invoice 2 to Hyperscaler: $6,000 (Hyperscaler reimburses GitLab: $3,000)

   1. Hyperscaler MDF allocadia entries: +$3,000 (½ of Channel MDF), -$3,000 (Hyperscaler MDF)

3. Final cost distribution: Partner $3,000, GitLab $3,000, Hyperscaler $3,000

Understanding Data Flow: From Lead to Opportunity

One of the most complex aspects of hyperscaler campaigns is tracking the customer journey from initial interest to closed business. This journey involves multiple handoffs:

• Lead Identification: When a lead comes from a hyperscaler campaign, it’s tagged with the appropriate CRM Partner ID and campaign information.
• Lead-to-Opportunity Conversion: As leads convert to opportunities, the system maps partner and campaign information to maintain attribution.
• Notification Systems: Automated notifications alert Cloud ESMs (Ecosystem Sales Managers) and regular ESMS are involved when new opportunities arise from hyperscaler campaigns.
• Co-Sell Integration: Labra facilitates referrals between GitLab and Hyperscalers for co-sell opportunities, creating a structured engagement process.

Understanding this flow helps teams recognize that not all Hyperscaler campaign leads will become co-sell opportunities, but tracking remains important to demonstrate overall program impact.