MSN.CA CREATES ONLINE MARKETING TOOL, PARTNERS WITH MASTERCARD
By Adnews Staff
MSN.CA debuted a new program this week called MSN Advantage Marketing which is intended to help advertising executives, media planners and clients customize their marketing campaigns on the Web site. The heart of the program is a new site at <http://advantage.msn.ca> that offers a range of information pertaining to online advertising. The material includes Canadian market research statistics, notes from industry experts, a demographic profiler that will generate a list of MSN properties that serve a given target audience, information about various advertising products such as enriched banners and skyscraper ads, and a password-protected area called My Campaign that allows marketers to create a media plan through the site. "Our investment in developing a comprehensive marketing program will help our clients understand that digital marketing is essential to every campaign," said MSN.CA general manager Judy Elder. "While many of them already know this, our research shows that there's a real lack of knowledge about how to advertise effectively online." To promote the service, MSN.CA is running a six-week trade campaign and undertaking a tour of advertising and media buying agencies.
In related news, MSN.CA has formed a marketing alliance with MasterCard Canada to make that credit card the preferred method of payment at online shopping service eShop <http://www.eshop.msn.ca>. To promote their partnership, the two firms are holding a contest called the MSN eShop Naughty or Nice Sweepstakes. Visitors to the site can enter by submitting a gift list for themselves if they are naughty, or for friends and family members if they are nice. Each week for the five weeks of the contest, one grand prize of $5,000 to spend at eShop will be awarded. Also, each week three $1,000 shopping sprees will be awarded. The contest runs from Oct. 29 to Dec. 2. It is being supported with a five-second television spot, a 30-second radio ad and Internet advertising.