Indiantelevision.com Team

(2 May 2007 6:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Microsoft introduced Personal Expressions for Windows Live Messenger. Personal Expressions, the next generation of theme packs, is being launched globally in more than 60 markets including 12 markets in Asia. The ad solution builds on the wildly popular theme packs by expanding capacity for advertisers.

With Personal Expressions, advertisers can place themselves at the center of the more 7.5 billion messages sent everyday through Windows Live Messenger. The branded elements are now accessible in each of the Messenger drop down menus including winks, emoticons, backgrounds, and display pictures expanding people's ability to discover them and allowing for greater choice and flexibility between expressions. Each drop down menu features 8 personal expressions slots, a 32 X 32 thumbnail, providing maximum exposure for advertisers. Says a release.

The Personal Expressions package is customizable and can include between one to five emoticons, one to two winks, one to three backgrounds images, and one to three pictures. Advertisers can choose to run multiple elements within each package letting people customize their Windows Live Messenger experience through on demand, branded, opt in advertising content that brings conversations to life for the more than 50 million Messenger users across Asia.Says an official release.

"The average Messenger users in Asia spends more than 29 hours a week, or 4 hours a day, engaging with their friends, family, and colleagues online," continued Rajnish . "Emoticons and winks remain one of the most appealing and interactive aspects of the platform. With Personal Expressions, we are extending this powerful functionality out to advertisers and creating opportunities for companies to engage with their desired audiences."

In addition to Personal Expressions, Windows Live Messenger offers pre roll video which plays while a web cam conversation is loading, makes the advertisers part of face to face conversations,
a half banner expandable ads which allow advertisers to run video ads on a distribution platform separate from a web browser. The video ads, embedded at the bottom of the Windows Live Messenger window, are user initiated and activate when the 234x60 banner ad is rolled over. The banner then expands into a 300x250 video ad from which the video experience, which can be accompanied by audio, begins.

Windows Live, a new set of personal Internet services and software, is designed to bring together in one place all the information and interests people care about most, with enhanced safety and security features across their PC, devices and the Web. MSN and Windows Live will be offered alongside each other as complementary services.