Client: Sony
Country: Japan
Industry: Consumer Electronics
Agency: Dentsu, Inc.
Target Audience: Business people ages 20-50
Solutions/Products: MSN

Objectives:
Promote the new Sony VAIO X series laptops by driving consumers to the Sony VAIO X promotional campaign website

Results:
Achieved a click-through rate approximately 140 percent higher than average for products in this category

Background/Challenge:
Sony Marketing decided to launch an online promotional campaign to accompany the launch of the new Sony VAIO X series laptops, which have the new Windows 7 operating system installed as standard. To reach the target audience (business people ages 20-50) effectively, Sony Marketing decided to use MSN® because many of its users have a high level of interest in computers and other electronic devices. While seeking to advertise the launch of the new products in a way that would make a big impression on MSN users, Sony also wanted to attract consumers to the Sony VAIO X series promotional campaign website.

Solution:
Using the “MSN Homepage Gate” function on the MSN Homepage, which supports large-sized, rich-media advertisements, Sony Marketing was able to highlight the biggest selling points of the Sony VAIO X series—slim-line design, lightweight, high specification, and comprehensive range of functions for business users—in a simple but striking way. The combination of smooth, highly creative action and fast-moving ads kept MSN users’ interest, attracting a wide audience to the launch of the new Sony VAIO X series.

At the same time, Sony boosted awareness of MSN Windows 7 Official Special Edition by sponsoring a special page bearing the Sony VAIO logo and a large-sized advertisement.

Results:
Using MSN “Homepage Gate,” Sony was able to raise awareness among their core audience of the launch of the new product series, and of the product’s special features, thereby encouraging more people to visit the online promotional campaign website. As a result, the campaign website achieved a click-through rate approximately 140 percent higher than average for products in this category.

In addition, the MSN Windows 7 Special Edition webpage that Sony sponsored received more than twice as many page views as had originally been anticipated, making a significant contribution toward boosting awareness of the new product series among the core target group.