Microsoft unveils new $2 billion ad campaign for Bing

Microsoft is set to launch a new $2 billion ad campaign for its search engine Bing with the strapline “Bing and decide”.

The campaign, which is the first UK promotion for product, advertises Bing’s ability to provide clear and concise results compared to rival search engines.

The JWT-designed campaign, which will launch on Wednesday and run for three months, consists of three television ads and a digital campaign to run on social networks.

Microsoft launched its new search engine in November last year in a bid to rival Google’s dominance in the market.

The ad campaign attempts to position Bing as a ‘decision engine’ that doesn’t provide an “information overload” like other search engines do.

Ashley Highfield, managing director and vice-president of consumer and online at Microsoft UK, said: “This is a big moment – we are taking out our slingshots and taking on Goliath.”

“People feel overawed by the internet and what they turn up when they are searching,” he added.  “We are also in a world where people have forgotten there is an alternative search engine.”

Google currently controls around 90% of the search market, while Microsoft holds just 3%.