REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 2, 2003 — The MSN®
network of Internet services will today debut a first-of-its-kind online marketing program created together with American Honda Motor Co. Inc. Developed exclusively by MSN for the online launch of the 2004 Honda Accord, the campaign incorporates the network’s most extensive use of video and consumer participation to capture the attention of the millions of consumers who frequent MSN.
This is Honda’s first custom-designed promotion on MSN and represents the automaker’s most elaborate and expansive online advertising effort for the 2004 Accord. Scheduled to run in the United States, the custom solutions package includes interactive video scenarios that can be found at http://criticaldecisions.msn.com/ or through the MSN.com home page, MSN Hotmail®
and MSN Messenger.
“This campaign allows us to strengthen our brand and connect with our target audience: young, dynamic customers who are an engaged audience on MSN,” said Ann Palmer, who is responsible for online media at American Honda. “The project provides relevant messaging and innovative delivery to help us differentiate Honda from other brands.”
The “Critical Decisions” campaign engages consumers with a series of short video vignettes about significant life events, asking them to indicate how they would navigate through seven of these transitional periods, including leaving home, finding the right job, buying a dream home, getting married and having children. And with approximately 18 million MSN visitors per month who are looking to move and nearly 25 million changing jobs within one year*, the videos speak directly to these consumers. Once participants choose their outcomes, they can see what paths others similar to them have chosen. Along with each of the custom-created video scenarios are links to relevant online resources for the different life stages and pictures as well as informational links for the 2004 Accord.
“Not only does this campaign increase awareness of the 2004 Accord, it gives Honda a chance to grab consumer attention in a completely new way,” said Joanne Bradford, vice president and chief media revenue officer of MSN. “The best part is that Honda and MSN are leveraging the power of interactivity to make it fun to find out how prepared you may or may not be to handle some of the critical decisions that lie ahead. It’s an amusing, interactive and personal experience that’s sure to resonate with the Honda customer.”
The videos employ Microsoft® Windows Media®
9 Series technology to provide high-quality picture and sound.
About MSN
MSN attracts more than 350 million unique users worldwide per month. With localized versions available globally in 34 markets and 18 languages, MSN is a world leader in delivering Web services to consumers and ad sales to businesses worldwide. MSN 8 is the first Internet software product to have earned the trusted Good Housekeeping Seal. The most useful and innovative online service today, MSN brings consumers everything they need from the Web to make the most of their time online. MSN is located on the Web at http://www.msn.com/ . MSN worldwide sites are located at http://www.msn.com/worldwide.ashx .
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
* Source: @Plan
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