“Microsoft is planning a pilot program to test ads on Zune Social, the social-networking site connected to its Zune music software and devices. In a limited way, it will also test the concept of ads on the Zune devices themselves. The initiative is expected to be announced today at the company’s advance08 advertising conference in Redmond,” Todd Bishop reports for The Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
“It’s one of the first projects to emerge from an advertising business group established inside Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division, working quietly behind the scenes since last fall,” Bishop reports.
“It’s one of the ways that Microsoft is trying to expand its footprint beyond standard online display ads and Internet search ads, where the company has struggled to gain ground against Google,” Bishop reports.
Bishop reports, “Mark Kroese, the group’s general manager, was quick to acknowledge that the concept of advertising on a portable media player might raise eyebrows for people when they first hear about it. (It would probably border on sacrilege for iPod users.) …’We’re thinking about the integrity of the user experience, and the appropriate way of doing this, where it feels like there’s value exchange, as opposed to, ‘Oh, this is just ads,” he said.”
“The Zune Social pilot [is] an example of how the group is approaching the idea of advertising within Entertainment and Devices, which also includes the Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Microsoft Surface, and Windows Mobile software,” Bishop reports.
“The Zune Social advertising pilot is set to launch this summer,” Bishop reports.
Full article here.
If a bear zunes in the woods, but there’s no one there to smell it, what’s the CPM?
Of course, if you’re trying to reach some of the world’s worst decision makers, obese purveyors of bad tats, store shelf dust mites, and egg-ducker’s 85-year-old uncle, you’ve found your advertising vehicle in the Zune.
It’s no wonder Microsoft continually gets its collective ass handed to it by Google in the ad game; they have absolutely no idea what they’re doing.
Because this test alone, Microsoft’s going to lose half of their Zune user base; all six of them.
We’re beginning to think that Zune exists only to assuage Melinda by supplanting Bob™ as the most-botched Microsoft product ever.
Oh look Katie, it’s another “value exchange!”
Cool!
@maclover
I read that same article. Pretty sad/funny huh?
@ Road warrior
“Balmer should be saying: Marketers! Marketers! Marketers!”
Oh, he has:
“Not any more, baby, it’s Advertisers, Advertisers, Advertisers”:
Imagine the scene: pumped up poor employees overexagerating a fake enthousiasm all over the place… This will be a pathetic show!
Zune Social = Zune Tang and his mother.
If anyone has a problem with ads on MDN I heartily recommend this little piece of free software:
http://safariadblock.sourceforge.net/
I have been using it for about 6 months and it really does an excellent job of removing adverts from pages like MDN. Plus, it will reformat the page you are on so instead of seeing blank spaces, it rewraps text etc. so you just get a nice page to view.
To be honest, I didn’t think MDN had adverts on their site, then I remembered I was using Safari AdBlock.
Try it, you might like it (this catchphrase brought to you by Dr. Pepper, suck on a can of it today and earn 40 Zune Points [offer not available on iPod]).
They should really test introducing ads in their OS and office programs. That way, they can leverage their huge market share.
This is why you never let the sales guy run the company.
Hahahah….advertising….hehe…on….a….hahaha….Zune….hheeehahahhaha…..Oh, God, hahhaha….I can’t stop laughing long enough to comment further….heheehhe… [Wipes tears of laughter]..*snort*.
@ Pete
“They should really test introducing ads in their OS and office programs. That way, they can leverage their huge market share.”
CNet: “Microsoft quietly offering ad-funded Works”
“After years of exploring the matter, Microsoft has finally started offering an ad-funded version of Microsoft Works in some countries.
Users who run the software see a small ad as they are writing their document or editing their spreadsheet. …”
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-9922750-56.html
“Advertisers, Advertisers, Advertisers,” as the monkey man himself says.
Notice it’s never “users, users, users”. They’re just taken for granted. That’s a mistake Steve Jobs has never made.
This is why Microsoft is going down in public esteem. They still do very big business of course, but everyone thinks they’re a pack of wankers. Not good to be disliked and despised.
“After years of exploring the matter, Microsoft has finally started offering an ad-funded version of Microsoft Works in some countries.
Users who run the software see a small ad as they are writing their document or editing their spreadsheet. …”
wow, i mean they are right, the wow is really starting. just. wow.
i can’t wait for windows seven and its Dell ads in the reboot screen.
“computer crashed again? try a Dell!”
how many clueless user will think that makes sense, rather than blaming the OS.
….and will Dell have to pay per ad showing? can any company afford the kind of bill that would come from something that shows ever single windows crash?
@Jim – “If anyone has a problem with ads on MDN I heartily recommend this little piece of free software:
http://safariadblock.sourceforge.net/“
GOOD CALL! You’re right, it just works.
Thank you.
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The current Amazon prices are:
Zune 8 GB Digital Media Player Black (2nd Generation) $161.99
Zune 80 GB Digital Media Player Black (2nd Generation) $239.51
Apple iPod nano 8 GB Black (3rd Generation) $179.00
Apple iPod classic 80 GB Black (6th Generation) $239.00
Shouldn’t the Zunes be alot cheaper, considering they aren’t cool, aren’t fun, don’t have any features lacking in the similarly sized iPods (which are cool and fun). To top off this list of down sides they now want you to have to put up with advertising. Advertising is to subsidize costs, not a means of boosting profits. If Apple can earn massive profits from their mp3 players, I know Microsoft isn’t losing money on selling theirs for about the same price.
I guess it’s official Steve Ballmer will now replace John Edward as recipient of the Biggest Douche in the Universe Award.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Biggest_Douche_in_the_Universe
The fact that Microsoft has an advertising business group inside it’s Entertainment and Devices Division says a lot about what many of us already knew about MS. If this doesn’t open more sufferer’s eyes to their REAL agenda, then let the lemmings go. Just let them go. We tried, but we must just let them go – it’s best for the survival of our species.
“Pay for sure,” or “pain for sure,” or both.
The talk about pop-ups / pop-unders on the MDN site is puzzling. I visit here several times daily and have never seen either one (I use both Camino and Safari). However, I have seen two other seriously annoying types of ads – those flashing animated types and the floating windows if I happen to accidently mouse over one of those green links embedded in the text. I agree with Spark that these types of in-your-face ads do more to drive customers away and anger readers than anything else (I also worked in advertising for years).
@Spark…”I think Zune Tang® and ChrissyOne are the same person. I’ve never seen them in the same room together.”
You are absolutely correct. ZT is the zit on C1’s ass. Hopefully she will pop it soon (sorry C1…no offense). I am sure you have a nice ass.
@shen
that was hilarious
@Zune Tang®
funniest post award goes to you today
Log, log,
it’s big, it’s heavy, it’s wood!
‘We’re thinking about the integrity of the user experience, and the appropriate way of doing this,…”
The appropriate way would be to not do it.
The smell of desperation is thick in the air.
Maybe Microsoft should change the name of this gadget to Prune. Rhymes with Zune and is brown like a turd… er, I mean, a Zune.
“Kroese cited the Zune Social pilot as an example of how the group is approaching the idea of advertising within Entertainment and Devices, which also includes the Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Microsoft Surface, and Windows Mobile software.”
It’s not just the Zune. Microsoft wants to shove advertisements down the throats of all of its products’ buyers.
Even the Big-Ass Table is not immune!
I think they’re the same person too; even the name ‘Zune Tang’ smacks of the humor in her posts. Same insouciance, same tone, same Olivia Newton John references.
I really don’t more think advertising is the answer to anything. Carry on, Brave Captain Ballmer. There is talk regarding your ability.
There are ads on MDN?
What scroll over stuff are you talking about?
What flashing ads?
I use firefox with adblock +-I do not see any of that stuff, I feel so left out 🙁
MS will continue to pump out Zunes. They will add new “features”, such as social advertising(get spammed on your portable media device-making you feel someone knows you exist) and the ability to DRM any media in a 200 yard radius.
Eventually, after losing a billion or more-it will become slighlty profitable.
They will then loudly declare victory.