MSN: Iconic Branding
BRAND:
MSN
CLIENT:
Microsoft Corporation
BACKGROUND:
In 2000, Microsoft was empowered with business software users, but consumers shield internet personal services. To gain momentum and grow share, Microsoft’s MSN Internet service needed a stronger, more distinctive brand that would promote awareness among consumers.
ACTION:
Microsoft was going through a legal battle with the US government at the time and Bill Gates. Consumers did not want to use Microsoft for personal experiences. It was a big issue for Microsoft to grow new consumer internet services. “MSN is Bill Gates; serious, commercial, aggressive” “Microsoft is dominate then annihilate.”
The plan created involved massive brand direction, including its largest-ever consumer advertising campaign. The brand needed to separate from Bill Gates and Microsoft Corp. The best direction would include different iconic symbols, but keep within Microsoft family brand.
The visionary direction was a symbol, a butterfly, that is a faraway as a consumer life, but within Microsoft’s colors and font. Research confirmed consumers worldwide. MSN become the butterfly.
When launched it recharged the MSN network on the internet. The more than $150 million advertising campaign for MSN used a humorous story line to convey how people can improve their lives by using MSN to take advantage of the web anytime, anywhere and from any type of internet accessable device. At the same time, Microsoft unveiled the new MSN branded logo, a multicolored butterfly that symbolizes the uniqueness, aspiration, freedom and personal empowerment that people experience when using MSN to bring the internet into their everyday lives. The ad campaign and the butterfly logo captured the unique integration of MSN and best-of-breed internet services.
“The new ad campaign delivers a fresh perspective on what people can do with the Web every day using MSN,” said Brad Chase, senior vice president in the Consumer Group at Microsoft. “MSN aims not only to make common tasks truly simple on the Web, but also opens up a new world of adventure by connecting people and information around the world. That’s why our new butterfly logo is the perfect embodiment of what MSN stands for.
As the story line develops, the characters use a variety of MSN services to get things done every day, such as using MSN Search to find furniture for the house, MSN eShop to comparison shop for the perfect purchase, the MSN Hotmail® Web-based e-mail service to communicate with others outside the house, MSN Web Communities to share photos with family and friends, or the MSN MoneyCentral TM online personal finance service to manage their home budget.
The MSN butterfly logo, a somewhat unusual direction for Microsoft branding, retains the yellow, orange, blue and green color scheme common to Microsoft’s other major brands including the Microsoft® Windows® operating system, Office and the BackOffice® family. Its release follows successful worldwide testing with consumers. It was created for MSN by McCann-Erickson’s FutureBrand subsidiary.
“We wanted a logo that is unique among the major Internet brands, that fits with the Microsoft brand, and that captures the spirit and imagination of what Microsoft’s software, content and services can do to empower people’s everyday lives,” said Yusuf Mehdi, director of marketing for the Consumer Group at Microsoft. “The MSN butterfly icon and cleaner, simpler font that accompanies it are meant to capture the imagination and freedom that people should feel from using MSN.”
DELIVERABLES:
Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Architecture, Logo, Motion, Design, Digital, Brand Guidelines, Internal Campaign, Marketing Communications, Launch
LEARN MORE:
www.MSN.com
ROLE:
Michael Thibodeau developed the proposal and project. He was the creative director and leader designer. He conducted research, brand strategy, brand architecture and designed the new “MSN” logo. Also supported the tagline, design system, marketing communications, internal communications and helped to launch the entire package working with Microsoft, FutureBrand and McCann-Erickson Worldwide.
