Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 8 Advertising Strategy

Posted on July 7, 2009 by admin Under Computers · Leave a Comment

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As the market success of Microsoft’s latest browser – the IE 8 is not particularly great their copywriting teams have worked hard to make new ads to boost sales. Unfortunately for the software giant, the competition’s alternative products, such as Opera and Firefox, prove to be much more popular with internet users. Thus, to promote their browser, Microsoft has incorporated a lot of creative original ideas into the online video advertisements they have used for a while now. And this time, they might have hit the jackpot, considering the number of views of the ads just on YouTube.

The key in the IE 8 advertising strategy is the use of acronyms to illustrate the benefits of the browser’s features in the videos. The video promoting the dignities of the browsers’ accelerator features, for example, uses the acronym S.H.Y.N.E.S.S to stand for sharing heavily, yet not enough sharing still. The Web Slices of the IE 8 are advertised with F.O.M.S., which stands for fear of missing something

The short stories are set in a 60’s style and the leading role is given to actor Dean Cain, known for his performance in Lois and Clark. The comedy based on mocking is light and genuinely funny. Microsoft seems to be quite open about uncomfortable real-life situations when it comes to selling its products. The private browsing option of the IE8 is advertised as a way of hiding visits to porn sights and the downloading of porn. This explains why the acronym O.M.G.I.G.P. – oh my God! I’m gonna puke – is quite appropriately chosen as the focus of the ad video.

If this type of comedy is not your cup of tea, Microsoft also relies on your softness of heart by using the Browser for the Better logo to attract customers to the IE 8 official website. If you download the explorer from there by August 8^th, your act will help the hungry and poor.

S.H.Y.N.E.S.S.