Microsoft Unveils Digital Advertising Solutions

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Microsoft will unveil a new unified advertising strategy today with the launch of Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions.

The new branding incorporates ad offerings across MSN and Windows Live; the upcoming Xbox and Office Online; and future Windows Mobile and IPTV ad products. The goal is to bring together these various ad products and services into a coherent offering for advertisers.

"Microsoft's advertising business is growing quickly and becoming more sophisticated. It is our responsibility to clearly articulate to advertisers how they can apply our broad set of assets and relationships to reach consumers across the many digital touch points of their day," Joanne Bradford, corporate VP of global sales and marketing and chief media revenue officer at Microsoft, said in a statement.

A new Web site for advertisers offers details on Microsoft's various offerings, detailing the various opportunities available to advertisers on each property. Also on the site are several video interviews with media, advertising, and digital agencies. The interviews cover topics like creativity, media fragmentation, user-generated content, and advertising relevance.

Microsoft has been expanding its ad services for the past year, since it began refocusing its business on advertising a year ago. During that time, it has continued to develops its adCenter platform, launch the Live.com portal, and set up a new online business group, with MSN honcho Yusuf Mehdi heading it up as chief advertising strategist.

The company has also looked outside its business for ad growth, acquiring in-game ad provider Massive, and striking a deal with social network Facebook, for example.

"As today's consumers spend more and more time online across various digital devices like mobile phones and video games, advertisers are finding they can no longer reach their entire target audience by advertising on a single medium," Bradford said. "We're addressing the reality of media fragmentation and enabling advertisers to get back to what they do best: creating engaging and creative ads."