Posters with tear-off phone numbers were hung on blackboards of universities. A little exam was integrated, whereby the phone numbers were written as a formula and could therefore only be deciphered by students from the right field. Those who lacked the right knowledge, or who were lazy, had no chance to apply for the positions with McKinsey & Company. The firm's name was not mentioned in the headline.

The pencil became a much fancied item amongst the students. The pencil transported the message of McKinsey & Company to advertisment-free zones such as libraries, auditoriums and canteens. The result was a higher number of pageviews on www.mckinsey.ch than usual. The most important aspect was a higher quality of applicants than on previous occasions. Only the really ambitious ones applied, which made the whole selection process much more efficient.