Microsoft has launched a series of new ad unit types intended to help brands coordinate their campaigns across Microsoft’s Web, mobile, Xbox and Skype platforms.
The units include interactive video ads, units with responsive design features, and ads that swell or reveal 3D effects when users hover over them.
Microsoft claims that marketers spend around $8.4 billion quarterly on online media ads.
The ad units like VPAID ads, Mindmap, Magnetic Canvas ad, Swell ad and Polymorphic Ads vary in size and function.
The units, ranging in size and function, will assist marketers with multichannel advertising strategies across PC, tablet, Xbox, Skype and mobile.
Keith Lorizio, vice president of U.S. sales and marketing at Microsoft Corporation Advertising, said that, “The forthcoming launch of Windows 8 will lead Microsoft into a new era of computing and advertising. Microsoft Advertising created the units based on six Display IAB Rising Stars ads, including the Filmstrip”.
VPAID ads re user-initiated ads highlighting video storytelling. Unlike pre-roll video ads, people can interact directly with videos instead of just watching them.
Mindmap, exclusive to the MSN home page, creates a digital circular-style ad of up to 30 products. The Magnetic Canvas ad creates a 3D effect when users hover over the ad. The Swell ad expands, but doesn’t interfere with the content being read.
Polymorphic Ads allow advertisers to scale creative assets across multiple devices and ad sizes, freeing up production time and budgets. Eventually, these ads will run across MSN, Windows 8 apps, Xbox and mobile.