I’ve decided that since I supposedly push 21^st century solutions for marketers, I should use 21^st century technology for regular check-ins from wherever I am in the world. 

So here’s blog post number one! 

Before I get onto the topic of the day, “What is Microsoft Advertising?”, wanted to let you all know that if you’re all wondering what odd thoughts pop into my head between my quasi-regular musings…feel free to follow me on Twitter - http://twitter.com/Marky98 I’ll be using Twitter to let you know when the next update has landed too!

For those not following today, I tweeted last week about why in tough times does the business mantra seem to be “let’s talk about talking about setting up a meeting” versus one of my favorite Elvis songs (not sure I really have a favorite Elvis song) “A little less conversation, a little more action please”. 

Seems we’re all a bit gun shy - not just Microsoft, but partners, customers etc - these days.  Good reason to be sure, but I can speak from experience in saying that action alleviates a lot of anxiety.

So on to “What is Microsoft Advertising?”

The Microsoft Advertising name and brand is relatively new and comes after a rapid period of change.

Before, if you were buying digital advertising from Microsoft, you were traditionally buying from MSN. But now with the growth in services like Hotmail, Messenger and adCenter coupled with the acquisitions of Aquantive, Massive and Screentonic, and with Xbox Live becoming an amazing reach vehicle, it became necessary to combine all these great marketing assets under one brand.

Microsoft Advertising

So unlike some of our competitors who sell a single branded experience or a smaller set, we have an enormous portfolio that in the end touches over a billion people a day! 

But they are just audiences. 

We can define them, target them, engage them, but moreover, they are a canvas on which our agency partners and their marketing customers must paint upon.

It’s this simple theme that led to a broader brand promise of Microsoft Advertising as a “navigator of digital possibilities”.  

Our investments and on our ongoing commitment to digital advertising is quite simple (no matter how complicated we try to make it at times) – we empower brands to extend the boundaries of creativity, consumer connections and customer intelligence.  We deliver on this commitment to our customers and partners; we make it easy for media and technology to work together to delight and engage the consumer. 

We make it possible for our customers to harness the commercial power of a world without walls.

Now, we have work to do, as does the industry, in truly delivering on the simplicity of this promise, and we are committed to that work as company and as a partner in this space. 

Those of you heading to Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival this summer or tuning into our community efforts at the event will see a new look and feel and tagline from Microsoft Advertising that reflects this commitment and brand promise.

More importantly, you’ll hear what we’re doing to execute on that promise across Premium Display, Performance, Search and Platform.

As both a long time employee of Microsoft and Brand Manager for 9 years before that in the golf business, I’m as much a student of marketing today as I was in school. I love to talk about the great work of our partners as well as the competition.........and I even sometimes talk about the not so great. 

So don’t expect to only hear about Microsoft in future posts. 

Regards

Mark