The Week in Ads: Microsoft IE9, Paul, Dove Men+Care

By: Jack Marshall

March 21, 2011

A look at some of the most creative and engaging ads from around the Web last week. Highlights include an extra-terrestrial encounter on the IGN homepage, Kittens with jetpacks on The Onion, and, of course, some Saint Patty’s Day tributes…

Product / Advertiser: Paul (Universal)
Vertical: Entertainment
Publisher: IGN.com

Product / Advertiser: Internet Explorer 9 (Microsoft)
Vertical: Technology
Publisher: The Onion

Advertiser: Men+Care (Dove)
Vertical: CPG
Publisher: FOX Sports on MSN

Product / Advertiser: Internet Explorer 9 (Microsoft)
Vertical: Technology
Publisher: Yahoo Sports 

Product / Advertiser: Subway
Vertical: Quick Service Restaurants
Publisher: The Weather Channel

Product / Advertiser: Acura
Vertical: Automotive
Publisher: Wired

Product / Advertiser: Irish Spring
Vertical: CPG
Publisher: Break.com

Product / Advertiser: Jameson
Vertical: Beverages
Publisher: The Onion

Product / Advertiser: Lexus
Vertical: Automotive
Publisher: Comedy Central

Product / Advertiser: NCAA March Madness
Vertical: Entertainment
Publisher: New York Times

Posted on ClickZ

Microsoft Makes Web ‘Beautiful’

By: Aaron Baar

March 15, 2011

With the official launch of the latest version of its Internet Explorer browser (which has been available as a public beta for several months), Microsoft is out to prove the Web can be more than functional — it can be beautiful.

“As we start to talk to a slightly wider audience, [we’re saying], ‘You can be fast, but you can also be beautiful,” says Ben Carlson, chief strategy officer for Microsoft’s Internet Explorer creative agency Bradley and Montgomery. “It’s not just a speed test done in isolation. It’s about what immersive amazing Web experiences that can be created.”

The browser officially launched March 14 at the SXSW festival. Marketing will involve extensive digital advertising, including home page takeovers of popular sites such as CNET and YouTube, as well as pre-roll before videos.

For the SXSW launch (picked as a venue because it attracts a lot of tech enthusiasts and artists), Microsoft worked with the satiric newspaper The Onion on a special edition with stories related directly to the Internet. As the sole sponsor, the issue is heavy with IE9 ads, Carlson says.

The agency (which also worked with several other shops including media agency Universal McCann and Razorfish, as well as others for digital programming) has also established an IE9 dedicated Web site, www.beautyoftheweb.com, to showcase all of the browser’s new capabilities. For instance, a video remixer allows users to change aspects of an a capella version of the pop song “Firework” (as recorded by YouTube artist Mike Tompkins) with the quick speed of the new browser.

“We were big fans of his, and we wondered ‘What is something that could demo how powerful the browser is? What if we created a demo that’s just fun?” Carlson says. “[Mike] had never done anything with a brand before but was interested in creating something unique and interesting for his fans.”

The microsite also includes video of people using the browser side-by-side with competitors (such as Google Chrome and Firefox) on identical computers to demonstrate how the speed of the browser can make an experience better.

“All browsers are pretty quick with [page] loads — now it’s about the experience,” Carlson says. “If you’re using Internet Explorer 9, you’re going to get a different experience. It’s one thing to say we’ve created something that’s fast. It’s another thing for real people to get to experience it.”

Posted on MediaPost.