Microsoft to launch $200 million ad campaign to explain Web strategy

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Posted 12:15PM on Friday, February 15, 2002

REDMOND, Wash. - Microsoft Corp. on Monday will launch a $200 million advertising campaign that aims to explain its Internet strategy to the general public. Slick TV spots designed by Microsoft's sole U.S. ad partner, McCann-Erickson, will tell stories that illustrate how new software from Microsoft, much of it built using new development tools and running on high-end "server" software linked to the Internet, can help companies and their customers transact business more efficiently. McCann Erickson, a unit of Interpublic Group of Cos., said the ads are designed to raise awareness levels about the new strategy and prompt technology decision-makers to seek out more information about Microsoft products. The spots are part of Microsoft's ".NET vision," defined as a set of software and services, operating over the Web, made possible by new, common computing standards. The Redmond, Wash.-based, software giant hopes the .NET ad campaign will boost its efforts to take on big-business software stalwarts such as International Business Machines and Sun Microsystems. The .NET campaign, dubbed "One Degree of Separation," also will highlight leading-edge companies such as Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Inc.'s unit Dollar Rent A Car, The Nasdaq Stock Market, Pfizer Inc. and Trans World Entertainment Corp. FYE Brand, which have already begun to realize business benefits from .NET, Microsoft's strategy for delivering an XML Web services platform. The TV spots will be shown in 10 of the world's largest media markets, starting Monday.