It is still mid January and already MSN Live search has a front runner in the category of most confusing advertisement. MSN is trying to use viral videos to promote their pay per click online advertising program AdCenter and they have created several promotional videos to help get the word out. Unfortunately the videos look like they were made by renegade art students trying to show how cool they were for creating a video that has nothing to do with the product they are trying to promote.
The art students succeeded in creating videos that will not only confuse viewers but likely dissuade them from trying adcenter PPC. The videos are morbid, bland and uninspiring.
Microsoft live search PPC take it away:
Dance Video: Microsoft – context matters
Funeral Video: Microsoft- context matters
Art Video: Microsoft – Context mattersIf you still feel like trying Microsoft AdCenter after watching these online videos be my guest.
You can also read more about the adcenter videos from a microsoft employed blogger. See more comments about the adcenter videos here, here and here. Sorry MSN Live Adcenter Search team, these ads just don’t speak to me. Please let me know if any independent ad agency approves and compliments these videos.
Another thing that annoys me about Microsoft are the links it adds to the default embed code. I stripped them out of this post, but it is just another example of MS trying to force itself into my computer/blog with things I don’t want.
4 Responses
Nothing personal Mel. It was not clear to me that this was intended for marketers, and it seems your main target is the general market.
All marketers I have talked with regarding these videos were as dumbfounded as I was – they just make no sense and are not easy to follow.
I’m a little confused CVOS – Who do you think our target market is if it isn’t marketers? The video says at the end that it’s by Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions which is our digital marketing arm.
Mel I understand the videos were created to be confusing, and to this end it is good linkbait, as they have gotten a lot of blog mentions.
However your largest target market is not a marketer and does not read marketing blogs so they will have no reference for the context when they view these videos.
The adcenter videos may win an art award for being edgy & unique but they will not sell your service to normal people.
Hi CVOS – The research that followed the videos has spoken to thousands of marketers around the world: http://www.melcarson.com/context-matters-those-microsoft-videos-in-context.html – The point of the the videos was to be slightly confusing as so much advertising can be. It’s not just about adCenter either, it’s about any online advertising. Context matters!