Microsoft is not shy when it comes to paying for advertising. In 2012 they were thought to have spent $1.23bn in the U.S. This year is the first time Microsoft has purchased a national ad during the big Super-bowl game, and it appears to be a tear jerker!
Starring Steve Gleason, a former NFL player who now suffers from Lou Gehrig’s disease, features in this strong advertisement.
Mr Gleason became famous locally when he played for the New Orleans Saints for the skills he showed in the Saints first home game. So much so that outside the Superdome there is a statue of him.
Along with Mr Gleason’s, the ad features a group of inspirational stories of people who are overcoming difficulties using Microsoft technology. It also aims to direct the viewers to a website which holds more stories of a similar nature. The ad had not been released before the super-bowl and Microsoft have not revealed who created the ad.
“Why now? Spokesman Lou Gellos said Microsoft’s Xbox and Surface are NFL sponsors and Bing is partner with the Seattle Seahawks. “It seemed like the logical next step,” he said. “It didn’t hurt that our local team is in the game.”- http://adage.com/article/special-report-super-bowl/microsoft-jumps-super-bowl-national-ad/291447/