'Cross The Breeze

Microsoft Advertising

March 5, 2009 by Kris Hoet 6 Comments

Although most of my work is related to some of Microsoft’s biggest consumer brands such as Windows Live, MSN, etc I also do (more and more actually) work for Microsoft Advertising. What does Microsoft have to offer to advertisers? Many of you might remember “Bring The Love Back”, today we have created another little 90 seconds video that explains a bit more what it is we do at Microsoft Advertising, check it out:

I’ve also set up a Twitter account for Microsoft Advertising Europe, offering another way to get in touch with us so follow us in case you are interested in advertising and curious about what we have to offer.

advertising, bringtheloveback, community, internet, marketing, microsoft, social media, video

advertising, bringtheloveback, microsoft, video

Future vision

March 2, 2009 by Kris Hoet 1 Comment

Microsoft’s Business Division president Stephen Elop unveiled the latest production from Microsoft Office Labs called “2019″ at the Wharton Business Technology Conference last week. Here’s a video of what our researchers think the future of business might look like:

Full story and 5-minute long version of this video ‘i started something’.

beta, conference, design, electronics, microsoft, research, technology, video

business, future, microsoft, office, video, vision

Your friends always with you

September 8, 2008 by Kris Hoet 0 Comments

My marketing colleagues in The Netherlands just launched a new campaign to promote the mobile version of Windows Live Messenger… and I like it a lot. The site is in Dutch so might be a bit hard to understand but you should still go take a look. Click “Geluid aan” (aka Sound on) on the main page and then choose between in browser of full screen play. Once you’ve done all that you get introduced to Mike chatting on mobile Messenger from the metro station. All of this is visualized pretty nifty, but what’s especially nice to it is that you can change between the 4 people participating (by clicking on their names in the status bar, botton left of the screen) while the story continues. Just go and check it out for yourself, kudos to Monique and the team.

Once I know who the agency was, I’ll update right here. The site was created by Red Urban Amsterdam.

advertising, bringtheloveback, design, marketing, microsoft, technology, video, windows live

advertising, campaign, design, interactivity, messenger, mobile, netherlands, silverlight, video, windowslive

Unusual unboxing

August 22, 2008 by Kris Hoet 2 Comments

Like I needed more convincing to go and buy the Samsung Omnia right? Even though this video is created by Samsung, it is a refreshing approach to unboxing gadgets like we see so many times on the tech blogs. Job well done! Now tell me when and where I can get it, curious to see if it matches up to the Diamond.

advertising, blogging, bringtheloveback, electronics, fun, gadgets, marketing, mobile, social media, video, viral

gadget, mobile, omnia, samsung, unboxing, video, viral

Inspiration, Anyone?

June 8, 2008 by Kris Hoet 2 Comments

When we launched ‘The Break-Up’ about a year ago we were impressed with the feedback we got on it. Yes we thought it was good, but still we never expected it to be as big as it became. And feedback was good, people like how we portrayed the changed relationship between consumers and advertisers. The second most common feedback was what we would do about it. We showed we understood the shifted relationship, what does Microsoft Advertising have to offer that work this changed situation?

In the second installment the advertiser is at his agency trying to figure out a way to solve his problem. This one is about inspiration… but just check it out for yourself.

Check getinspiredhere.net

advertising, bringtheloveback, consumer, inspiration, marketing, microsoft, movies, video

advertiser, advertising, agency, bringtheloveback, consumer, conversation, inspiration, microsoft, video

Screensaver: the making of

June 3, 2008 by Kris Hoet 0 Comments

So you always wondered how a screensaver was made? Take a look at the video below to get an idea of that process. Enjoy.

“Life’s too short for the wrong job”. The German jobsite Jobsintown.de did some great advertising around this theme in the past and I must say I really like this video as well. It looks like the video is from the same period as the other ads, but I hadn’t seen it before.

[Via Right-Half Chow]

advertising, bringtheloveback, design, electronics, fun, marketing, video, viral

advertising, jobsintown, making of, screensaver, video, viral

Flanders

March 13, 2008 by Kris Hoet 1 Comment

A bit more than 3 weeks to go to Blogger Social in NYC, a unique gathering of mainly (but not only) marketing & advertising bloggers from across the globe. With just over 80 attendees and a fun agenda of events this is really something a lot of us are looking forward to for many months.

There’s one downside to it though, and that is that it takes place the exact same weekend as the Tour of Flanders, the classic of all classics in road cycle racing if you ask me. The race, first organized in 1913, is an experience of its own and (trust me) appeals to everyone who is up for a heroic day of sports. With many steep hills, often paved with cobblestones over a distance of approx. 260 kilometers… it sure isn’t just a race like any other.

I’ve watched the race on television for as long as I can remember, most of the time with a bunch of friends, and for the last few years we’ve been going to the ‘Muur van Geraardsbergen’ (or ‘wall’ of Geraardsbergen) to watch it live, courtesy of Lotto. With several thousands of people at the key positions of the race and close to a million people over the whole length, the ambiance is incredible.

So not this year, and the Social will rock for sure, but a part in my heart will miss this raceday a lot. I’m sure Tim ‘Masiguy’ Jackson understands ;)

Here’s a great ad from Het Nieuwsblad (newspaper) for their upcoming coverage of the Tour of Flanders.

advertising, art, belgium, bringtheloveback, racing, travel

advertising, blogger, cycling, flanders, muur, nieuwsblad, nyc, social, sport, tour, video

Surface spoof

March 11, 2008 by Kris Hoet 1 Comment

During the pre-conference we had at MIX08 there was also a presentation from one of the guys that works on the Surface team. To give an introduction of the Surface for those who wouldn’t have seen it he showed a video about it. The funny thing though was that he didn’t show the original video, but a spoof made by SarcasticGamer.com. Apparantly it’s around for a while but I hadn’t seen it before. Kudos to the guys who created it and also to the Surface team for using it in their own presentation!

bringtheloveback, community, electronics, fun, microsoft, technology, video

fun, interaction, interface, microsoft, spoof, surface, technology, touch, video

Surround video

March 3, 2008 by Kris Hoet 11 Comments

Although it seems like this is pretty much a creative idea, and nothing quite real today, I like it immediately. Good out-the-box thinking from the researchers at the BBC. Imagine how this could bring a totally immersed movie experience into your living room. Or think about gaming, COD4 to name a one for instance, now that would be absolutely amazing.

[Via David Bausola]

design, electronics, games, media, movies, research, technology, video

bbc, game, movie, research, surround, technology, video

It sayz Coke Zero on ze bottle

February 28, 2008 by Kris Hoet 0 Comments

These Coke Zero ads are pretty absurd, but I do like them. They’re fun and the messaging is pretty clear – great work from W+K if you ask me. Check out this video: