Microsoft launches ad package for Live Messenger

Microsoft is offering a range of multimedia options for advertising on Windows Live Messenger as part of its Digital Advertising Solutions

Soon after introducing Digital Advertising Solutions in India, Microsoft has announced Personal Expressions, a suite of advertising options on Windows Live Messenger, its instant messaging product.

The suite has been launched in 60 markets. Twelve of the markets are in Asia, with a Messenger user base of 50 million.

Advertisers can place their brands on winks, emoticons, backgrounds and display pictures in the chat window. As part of the Personal Expressions package, they can choose from emoticons, winks (over the page animation), background images and display pictures.

Microsoft launches ad package for Live Messenger

Emoticons

Wink

Apart from these, advertisers can also run video ads before starting webcam conversations through Messenger. There will also be expandable ads with video, which run when a user points at them. Contextual text links are another option, says Microsoft. For an even more personal interaction, advertisers can chat with users through Windows Live Agents. With their permission, of course.

Most of these ad options are user initiated and, therefore, less intrusive. “The average Messenger user in Asia spends more than 29 hours a week, or four hours a day, engaging with friends, family, and colleagues online,” said Rajnish, head of digital marketing revenue and strategic business, Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions, in a statement. He added that emotions and winks are particularly interactive options.

Microsoft is, understandably, concentrating on pushing online sales in answer to growing competition in the industry. The company is expected to make announcements about its mail service soon.

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