A recent study conducted for Microsoft by London-based Essential Research explores the role of digital advertising in marketing luxury brands. Covering 15 countries including the US, UK, France China and Japan, the study exposes a global appetite for luxury goods and the growing interest in luxury advertising online.

To increase engagement and interaction with customers in its “Colors of Summer” campaign, McDonald’s Hong Kong launched a virtual Hello Kitty on Windows Live™ Messenger. Users were encouraged to add Hello Kitty to their contact lists and chat to collect a series of unique Hello Kitty emoticons. Over 70 million messages were exchanged and positive brand association achieved with this innovative medium.

Internet is the fastest growth medium in Asia*, with 35% of all Young Asians respondents claimed that they spent more time on using the Internet in past 12 months, however, 30% of them said that the spent less time on watching TV.

New research shows that over half of MSN and Windows Live users polled across 11 countries in Asia Pacific cite the internet as the greatest influence in their purchase decisions of FMCG products. See why the internet came out as their first source for information, even over television.

Music giant Warner Music attracted a new generation of digital music consumers with the launch of SoundZero, an internet radio station integrated into Windows Live Messenger.

To raise awareness of its latest beauty soap Lux Provocateur, Unilever launched a set of exclusively designed Lux Provocateur Personal Expressions on Windows Live Messenger. The Personal Expression featured a range of Lux Provocateur animated images and emoticons for customizing Windows Live Messenger chat sessions.

A new global survey, conducted by Synovate in conjunction with Microsoft, reveals the extent to which young adults are willing to interact and engage with brands online as part of their daily online activities.

Maybank launched Asia’s first financial bot, Agent M, on Windows Live Messenger, and successfully engaged a new generation of young customers.

In a first for the liquor industry, Johnnie Walker allocated a large proportion of its media budget to online advertising. This helps Johnnie Walker engage with a new generation of consumers online.

To enhance brand awareness and personalize its “Impossible is Nothing” campaign, adidas Hong Kong launched a community-based web site on Windows Live Spaces. Positive brand association was generated through this highly interactive campaign.

As the title sponsor of the Guinness 9-Ball Tour, Guinness wanted an interactive campaign that would create maximum buzz and exposure among its target audience. A real-time peer-to-peer pool game on Windows Live Messenger was created, and successfully strengthened Guinness brand awareness and grew its membership base.

In the new digital marketplace, it is the online consumer who controls the engagement. To attract, connect with, and truly engage this demanding consumer, Microsoft Advertising has brought together a unique and all-encompassing array of media and technology assets to reach consumers wherever they may be online, including search, display, gaming, mobile, social networking, and e-commerce.

The integration effect of Windows Live services (Hotmail, Messenger & Spaces) allows marketers to reach a larger audience of consumers. Hall & Partners uncover how advertising across multiple platforms can help deliver a more impactful message.

Founded in 1853, Levi Strauss & Co. and its Levi’s® denim jeans have high brand recognition around the world. Having previously invested solely in traditional offline advertising methods to drive awareness and create sales in Singapore, Levi’s® was keen to explore new ways to engage directly with its target age profile, and reinforce brand awareness.