Microsoft is doing a lot of things right with Bing, the new search engine it debuted in late May. For one, the engine works quite well, including a number of subtle features like video previews that Google doesn’t have (yes, some of the improvements were introduced in Live Search, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t cool). Perhaps more important, the company is doing a good job with its marketing efforts, shedding its corporate monolith culture in favor of something that’s decidedly more.. Googleish.
Today Microsoft is launching a fun little contest for Bing that invites you to sing a a jingle about Bing (no more than 5 minutes long) and upload it on Bing’s YouTube Account (another good move here Microsoft — no need to make people upload through a proprietary site). You have up until July 31 to submit videos, and voting will commence today and continue through August 5. Be sure to watch the video above of some Bing interns introducing the concept (I’m currently harassing the TechCrunch interns to make one of our own).
This kind of contest isn’t particularly novel — it just isn’t something you’d typically associate with Microsoft. Last month Google launched a contest inviting users to make a video about Google’s Chrome icon, which most people still don’t recognize. It’s no wonder why they’re keen to increase Chrome’s brand awareness: it’s going to be a full-fledged operating system soon.
You can find full details on the Bing contest here.
Is this part of Microsoft’s 50 million marketing strategy for bing?
Microsoft will never take over Google in search engine results and popularity. Never.
Yeah, don’t see that happening any time soon, either. But I think Bing is doing better than most of us expected.
I don’t think there goal has ever been to replace Google as the default search engine (at least explicitly), rather they’ve always wanted to be a strong number two. Something where they could get 40% market share, and leave the other 60% for Google. The 40% is much more achievable if they manage to acquire Yahoo’s search assets.
As things are right now, 40 is only achievable if they acquire Yahoo!
I think we are underestimating the brand loyalty towards Yahoo!
A name change doesn’t constitute an exceptional search engine, after all it’s just MSN Search rolled into Live Search, smudged into Kumo (alternative name before Bing) and then Bing…still the same crap they produce.
I used to work for Microsoft and their implementation of products and services are abysmal.
Oh and the people who work for Microsoft Ad Center use Google, after being repeatedly told they must use Microsoft’s own search engine.
Hey Microsoft, wake up and smell reality because you were never going to be the winner in the search engine race.
You never stood a chance, you failed to see search as the most important aspect of internet usage.
Yeah… except for the slew of new features, and the hawtness that is Bing Travel, and the fact that it’s Microsoft’s first USABLE engine it’s … totally… the … same…
Sigh. New features. New brand. New experience. Same old, same old. Why didn’t I see it before?!
Bill Gates did his thing with Slash at E3… why not a GnR “welcome to the Jingle” cover?
Google didn’t need to get people to sing to use their search engine.
Bing will see little spikes in traffic when it runs TV ads or does gimmicky contests like this, but the traffic will fade after the ad/gimmick stops running. This will continue for a few years until Bing finally rebrands itself as Boong and does the same thing all over again.
I guess MS doesn’t plan to take over Google, but
to share the search market with Google.
Looks like Microsoft is starting to let its hair down and have some fun with users. Instead of stuffy corporate marketing tactics they’re letting the interns take a shot.
Does anyone know the names of the interns?
The video explicitly says that they do not have names.
Why do you want to know?
I’m just curious on who they are.
… somebody’s got a crush…
Me too. I just want to know the girl’s name and phone number.
Jeffrey Ye. He likes DoTA and long walks on the beach.
bing, fries are done. bing, fries are done. bing, fries are done. (done in a peter griffin voice).
I am not an NBC scout but that is funny!
Google’s YouTube for bing contest? They should use Google Checkout for any monetary gains they make in bing
Hey, I would be surprised if they did not use YouTube. Firstly, its cheap.
More importantly, that’s where a majority of the viewers are! YouTube is awesome …
Even I have a channel http://www.yout....com/hadakushal
That’s nice. I have a channel too!
“it just isn’t something you’d typically associate with Microsoft.”
The innovative power of free market capitalism!
People will do anything when they’re desperate.
Nothing wrong with demanding a little song and dance in exchange for grocery money.
I for one can’t wait to see cute 20/30 somethings in tight clothing jumping up and down.
I know there names!
What are they? please
Grammar/Spelling police striking in three … two …
i’m putting money down that the winning video is going to incorporate the old mcdonald song with the famous B-I-N-G-O phrase. i’m putting more money down that it’s going to be B-I-N-G-go or something.
Nah, look at microsoft’s youtube page.
It’s going to be a hot but wholesome college babe (HBWCB!) that could use the cash to buy a textbook or two.
Ooh, ooh… do we get to use Songsmith?
Bing Bing Microsoft FTL
Bing Bing Chrome OS FTW
Feel free to use my lyrics for your Youtube song.
$500 is 0.001% of $50M. This is a contest for a jingle that will help define the brand. Is that the best MSFT can do?
Microsoft likes to take advantage of people. You can’t expect them to share their wealth.
Only $500? I thought there might be a misplaced decimal. This is far, far below the standard industry pay for this kind of music usage.
I am a music supervisor for film, television, games and advertising, and I deal with licensing for projects like this daily. Typically the cost to license these kinds of media usage rights for a single song would run upwards of $50,000 for music from a lesser-known artist. Music from a known artist signed to a record and or publishing deal would be associated with costs in the seven figure range. The costs of hiring a composer, even an unknown composer, are comparable.
This fee is so ridiculously low that I felt compelled to respond to this post at greater length here:
http://annielin...in-500-no-thats
Addendum: I can assure you that Walter Werzowa, the man who created the Intel theme, was not paid $500 for his efforts.
A. Lin: You are obviously too close to the industry to have an objective opinion.
There are probably several undiscovered talents out there that would love the exposure ($500 is peanuts, but interns don’t usually control large budgets). Crowd-sourcing is more likely to have a grass roots, organic feel to it.
Just like most industries that are older than the internet, your industry has lots of *fat* to trim to get competitive in today’s world.
These interns are reaching out to their own generation. You and I are obviously too old
@Coldbrew — Actually you are right. I am very close to the industry. In addition to being a music supervisor, I am a musician. Prior to switching over to the business side of things, I toured/gigged full-time for a living as a working artist.
Yes, there are some musicians who might sign off their usage rights for a pittance of $500. They might not be aware that most musicians are paid more money for broad music buyouts like this. They might be desperate to do anything to grow their careers, even if it means devaluing the music. Certainly, artists are free to contract as they wish, as the law generally offers no protection to those who sign off on bad deals because they are inexperienced or lack business savvy.
As an artist, I have in the past signed myself to bad deals because I didn’t know any better. There were many situations in which I made very little or no money because I believed that it would help my career. If I had known then that I was being grievously underpaid by a major corporation, I would have chosen not to waste my time and opportunities that would have helped make ends meet.
Licensing fees make a huge difference to bands who tour and rely on the money to make a licensing. At first glance the numbers might seem ridiculously high. But the deals don’t come in that often and the fees are split between numerous parties — a manager, a label, a publisher or even just between band members.
As I mentioned in my blog post, I applaud Bing for their innovative attempt to tap into the power of crowd-sourcing. Again, some artists will decide that they would like to give Microsoft an all rights in perpetuity license to use their music. Some artists won’t understand the fine print. And some artists won’t even bother to read the fine print.
But the point is that Microsoft is a giant company trying to make a very big, very public launch of Bing. If Microsoft wants to enhance its branding by drawing on the collective power of artists and content-creators, cheapening the value of the work isn’t a good way to tell the community that it values its contributions. It doesn’t communicate a very positive brand impression.
* Sidenote: I do actually like Bing’s look and feel and would like to see them succeed. However, I just don’t think that a minuscule $500 award fee for a jingle is the way to do it.
I would have expected at least $1500..
I know, seriously. This is Microsoft after all. They can only afford $500? Almost all major brand social media campaigns start at $1,000 for prizes.
Recession times. Thanks to Microsoft that they are paying at least 500!
did you hear about viral marketing?
The goal of viral marketing is to get the most people involved as possible.
If that does happen, and there gets to be 2000 submissions, whose going spend an hour making a video for a 1 in 2000 chance to win $500? Not me.
The exposure would be the reward, not the $500.
how cool would it be if the winning video was recorded on an iPhone.
very cool!
I am pretty sure Bing works on the iPhone.
And where will this jingle be seen? Commercial television, the internet, viral media? It’s a sad plan and whoever thought this little “gem of an idea” up needs to be handed their cards.
i love those bing shirts
is TC receiving any money from Bing for advertising?
I am a little unclear if this is slightly sponsored post or if you guys are really that excited about $500?
It’s just a fun idea.
Shh…
First rule for Microsoft’s sponsored news: You don’t talk about Microsoft’s sponsored news.
I see we’re on Microsoft’s payroll again today. Not to worry, tomorrow it will be Apple again as they announce earnings.
I was trying to be witty and sarcastic about @newsfan ’s comment but failed.
Smells like more MS Payola. TechCrunch should disclose that they are on the MS payroll. It’s bad enough all of the Bing plants on Late Night with Fallon.
Does anyone besides me like the idea of submitting a bunch of ones that sound legit at first, then support MS’s competition (i.e. Google) instead?
Yeah, nah.
If they’d offer $5,000, they would see some serious contenders. With $500 it would be some shower singers with too much spare time, but they would get plenty of these, which is also a plus
Bing – Find me the cure for blog search
I am ready to send in my “jingle” (More like a rap).
Haha… Bing Fail! What a great way to start a marketing campaign showing how they are better than Google than by using one of Google’s products. They didn’t even mention any of their products. What happened to Song Smith???
You’d probably also be complaining if they DID require MS products, instead of youtube which is ubiquitous.
MS using Youtube is lower barriers to entry and NOT relying on monopoly thinking.
Hawtness.
Very good point!
Bing, the better way to Google. CH still owned it.
$500…….lol
500 is a can of beans!