Microsoft unveils first look of new MSN for NZ

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Microsoft unveils first look of new MSN for New Zealand

MSN aims to deliver the world’s most popular and comprehensive content on the web, coming soon to Windows, Android, and iOS devices

AUCKLAND, 9 September 2014 – Microsoft today unveiled a first look at the new MSN for New Zealand, combining premium content from the world’s leading media outlets with personal productivity tools to help consumers do more.

Starting today, Microsoft is inviting people around the globe to try out the new web experience at http://preview.msn.com/en-nz/ with the experience officially launching in the coming months.

Additionally, the new MSN experience will soon extend to mobile apps across all major device platforms, including Windows, iOS and Android.

“We have re-written MSN from the ground up for a mobile-first, cloud first world,” said Adam Anger, General Manager for Asia Pacific, Microsoft Advertising.

“The new MSN brings together quality media sources with the data and services that help people get more done. And because it’s a single platform, once you personalize, you get the same experience everywhere – on every device that works for your life.”

James Butcher, Sales Director for Mi9, which manages advertising sales for MSN in New Zealand, said: “We are excited to represent the new MSN as part of our stable of Mi9 brands. It is a unique product offering in New Zealand and with opportunities for both advertising and deep bespoke integration, it is a great global complement to our Mi9 offering.”

Most Popular and Complete Content

Spanning multiple categories including sports, news, health and fitness, money, travel and entertainment, the new MSN provides a global perspective from thousands of publishers across the world. Information ranges from the latest stats on over 200 global sports leagues, reviews of more than 1.5 million bottles of wine, to over 300,000 gorgeously photographed recipes and more. MSN editors will be able to draw from more than 1,000 global and local sources to hand-curate a unique experience for each market.

Know More, Do More

The new MSN makes information ‘actionable’ by incorporating personal productivity tools like hotel booking engines, shopping list generators, flight checkers, and savings calculators into the new experience. Additionally, the new MSN connects to popular services like Outlook.com, Facebook, Twitter, OneNote, OneDrive, Xbox Music and soon Skype, allowing users to see their latest updates, emails and chats.

Personalized and Available Across Devices

A clean, fresh design makes it easy to find and enjoy content most important to each user, letting them organize categories and interests to personalize the layout of the homepage. And because the new MSN is designed to work across multiple devices, each user’s preferences will automatically change across the web and app versions.

Users can choose their favorite cities for weather, sports teams, and restaurants, staying connected to the content that matters most at work, at home or on the go.

New Opportunities for Brands

For brands, MSN offers audiences a personalized web experience, quality content from both global and local publishers, and engagement across the PC, phone and tablet. With an audience of nearly 425 million people coming to 57 markets around the world available across the three major device platforms, the new MSN is an ideal environment for seamless brand storytelling across screens.

“The transformation of MSN allows brands to be in the thick of a rich library of premium content that travels with readers throughout the day, regardless of device,” said Ben Poole, Head of Interaction for Asia Pacific, MEC.

“This positive brand association is a win for the industry and a win for users looking for quality content in an adaptable environment. We are incredibly excited to bring new campaigns to life on the reimagined MSN.”

Though the face of MSN has transformed, the process of buying ads is simple. Brands can still enjoy ease of purchasing through similar IAB standard units available on previous versions of MSN.

“With premium content and productivity tools, we’re thrilled to offer a new experience to both advertisers and consumers,” said Ken Chang, Regional Sales Director for Asia Pacific, Microsoft Advertising.

“The new MSN allows advertisers to be in more moments and to capture consumers at the right mindset throughout the day.”

Visit the New Zealand preview site for the new MSN at http://preview.msn.com/en-nz/

ENDS

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