CReATION: Microsoft launches US$150m campaign, new ad technologies

<p>Microsoft has embarked on a massive US$150 million global </p><p>campaign to promote its MSN portal and the new version of its MSN </p><p>Explorer browser with the help of McCann-Erickson. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The portal has also rolled out several interactive, cost-effective </p><p>banner ad technologies called "enRiched" to attract advertisers. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The interactivity means advertisers can use templates to create ads with </p><p>scrolling features to showcase products or catalogues within a banner </p><p>ad. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Another technology enlarges the ad when a user scrolls over it to reveal </p><p>a large graphic. Other templates let advertisers "scratch out" </p><p>promotions or let users fill in forms without leaving the page. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The campaign and new offerings are geared to positioning the network as </p><p>the "world's No.1 global Internet brand". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>This is the company's largest campaign since it launched Windows 95, and </p><p>not coincidentally, has kicked off at the same time as competitor AOL's </p><p>revamp of its services. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Ms Rose Leng, regional marketing director - MSN Asia, said: "We've been </p><p>doing consumer research and have found that most people have been on the </p><p>Web for one to two years. But what they feel is that their experience on </p><p>the Web is too frustrating and not totally fulfilling, but with MSN we </p><p>believe it is integrated and can be used as a home base ... so the time </p><p>is right to tell users about the advantages of using this portal." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Microsoft has worked continuously on reinventing its services, taking </p><p>the focus away from MSN as a closed subscriber network to a portal with </p><p>various service offerings. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The new campaign is to focus both online and offline with the aim to </p><p>promote enhancements made to the service rather than compete with AOL's </p><p>paid subscriber numbers, which total an estimated 25 million, compared </p><p>to the software giant's 3.5 million. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>However, part of the initiative seems to concentrate on winning over </p><p>dissatisfied AOL customers. The software giant is to make it "easier" </p><p>for customers to switch to its service by offering relevant </p><p>information. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The new service, which includes a colourful Internet browser, is to make </p><p>MSN's finance, shopping and search features simpler - a square aim at </p><p>AOL's "ease of use" publicity drive. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Ms Leng said the worldwide campaign will be handled entirely by </p><p>McCann-Erickson, however regional offices of the agency are to localise </p><p>advertisements for individual markets. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>She added: "We know we need to have locally-relevant advertising. So we </p><p>will adapt everything to suit the audience in Asia. The campaign will be </p><p>adjusted for the Japan, Korea, Chinese and pan-Asian markets as </p><p>different cultures have different preferences. But with one agency we </p><p>can still maintain consistency. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We are going to target the masses here. So you can expect to see TV, </p><p>print, billboards, as well as online promotions." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The campaign has been launched in Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Korea, </p><p>Taiwan, Malaysia and India. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The first TV spot aired featured the MSN logo, a butterfly presented in </p><p>colours similar to the Microsoft Windows operating systems logo. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Meanwhile, the company is hoping its enRiched technologies will entice </p><p>advertisers through low cost. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The new service will allow advertisers to plug their creative features </p><p>into ads on the portal for no additional cost. An outsourced version </p><p>will also be available. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Further, MSN is to launch a mass-scale promotional campaign to support </p><p>Madonna's first live gig on the Internet. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>According to MSN, the promotion is to be the "largest ever net promotion </p><p>for any artist", targetting 75 million users of MSN Hotmail in 17 </p><p>languages and homepage replacements on more than 30 sites worldwide. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Entertainment production company Done and Dusted is to produce the </p><p>webcast, which will take place on November 28. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>