Internet Explorer has been going through some tough times. After a multitude of attacks, security and usability issues, the granddaddy of web browsers has dropped from over 40% share of web browser usage in 2011 to just over 20% in 2013. Although their web browser seems to have a long ways to go, their marketing campaigns are often quite in-line with consumers. At the very least, they’re creative and fun!
Their “Browser You Loved to Hate” campaign, launched in 2012 to promote the use of IE10 for Windows 7, resonated with consumers born in the 90’s and raised quite a bit of attention on social media outlets. Specifically targeting hateful perceptions against the web browser, the IE marketing staff delivered a tongue-in-cheek message to try the browser before hating on it.
Later renditions of the campaign also appealed to nostalgia with consumers born “in the 90’s.”
But Internet Explorer isn’t one to stop fighting early. Earlier today, IE released a video of an “Anime” featuring their new mascot “Inori Aizawa.”
I’m a little skeptical of Anime campaigns. Some of them have been very successful, while others have come off as downright embarrassing. In recent history, Domino’s CEO was featured in an advertisement with Hatsune Miku in a very strange campaign. Although the ad was ridiculed by many consumers, the end result was that demand for Hatsune Miku Dominos Pizza “exceeded 10 times [their expectations].”
Here’s the ad:
The real question at hand is: How will IE’s decision to launch a campaign featuring their new mascot in Anime form translate to new users? Well, they’re clearly trying to appeal to the audience that watches Anime. Specifically, given the style of the campaign, they may be trying to activate nostalgia of some sort with consumers who watched Saturday morning cartoons during their early school years. Their current positioning on their Facebook page implies that they want to sell IE10 as an “ugly duckling” that has grown up to become a beautiful web browser (see below):
Only time will tell how this campaign will affect consumers, given the deeply-rooted negative perceptions towards IE. Will this campaign be a bang or a bust?
Sasuga, Internet Explorer. Shiranai.
Until next time, singing off.
-Chris