A team at Microsoft advertising set out last year to create “a series of new and truly unique ad experiences.”

Today, they are finished and are presenting prototypes from their journey. Five iconic brands including All Saints Clothing, Mercedes-Benz USA, Vans Shoes, MasterCard, and Dell are ready to strut their stuff. Let’s take a look at some of the ads Microsoft has been working on.

The first advertisement showcase, with All Saints clothing, mirrors the point of view of a consumer scrolling across the page. The ad opens up to a display a collection of models with the latest fashion. Consumers can click on various hotspots to learn more about the clothing or purchase what they see.

The second advertisement with Mercedes-Benz USA creates an “interactive digital narrative”; it pulls in media and content from various social networks to create an engaging real time experience. The ad is targeted at a younger demographic and wishes to showcase Mercedes’ new CLA model car.

The third advertisement, for Vans Shoes, is my personal favorite. Consumers can design a custom skateboard park and then watch a pro skater ride it. The advertisement is nested within the Skype application and has you invite a friend to design the park. At the end, consumers can purchase merchandise they saw within the experience – if interested.

The fourth advertisement was created in partnership with MasterCard to entice card holders to access Priceless experiences. Consumers can click through customized various events on the multi-touch ad to find what they may be interested in.

The last advertisement, from Dell, attempts to showcase how the company is working closely with a Formula 1 racing team to help power the world around us. The advertisement, if viewed on a tablet, has a 360 degree room virtual room which can be navigated by rotating your tablet around you.

Advertisements are not usually perceived as a good thing, but do you think Microsoft is helping to make them a bit “less painful”?

Source: Microsoft Advertising Blog