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A More Beautiful Ad

By: Michael Lindquist

After seeing Internet Explorer's "A More Beautiful Web" commercial for the 1000th time during Sunday night's Mad Men, I became more interested in the song that plays during the graphic-heavy, fast-paced ad. It turns out Alex Clare's "Too Close" has been searched for more than once. When I identified the song, I found myself on the Internet Explorer 9 website. The never-ending scrollbar leads you down a disappointing journey through cluttered graphics and pop-up like blurbs about the new and improved web browser.

The new IE9 features a faster, cleaner browser that allows Macs and PCs to utilize various quick navigation techniques to provide the most enjoyable web browser experience. Explorer also offers tab pinning, tab isolation, and even has a built-in download manager. Despite all of IE9’s improvements, we live in a world where perception is everything. Perception has not always been in favor of Internet Explorer.

Many would consider Internet Explorer to be a relic from a simpler time in our digital age. Skeptics believe that Internet Explorer should be permanently deleted, but Explorer's exciting commercial and upbeat music led me to their IE9 website. That's what it's all about, right? It doesn't matter what the perception is prior to the commercial. If your brand can produce an ad that has the audience getting in their cars, clicking the "Like" button, or downloading the latest version of a forgotten web browser, your advertising is working.

Although I've avoided downloading the new IE9 to maintain some form of neutrality, I plan to give IE9 a fair shot. Some of the hipsters and tech nerds that were targeted in the ad look at Internet Explorer like a wine snob after being offered a box of Franzia. Try the 2012 Sunset Blush. It's divine. That's okay. Some skeptics will never be influenced, no matter how good the ads look. Most tech nerds will spend hours reading user-generated content and reviews from their favorite tech site before converting to a new product.

Famous adman David Ogilvy once said: "We know that 50% of our advertising works, we just don't know which 50." Even with analytics, click-thru rates, and surveys, advertisers are still trying to better understand which 50% works. Perhaps that number has become smaller with all of today's technology. In Internet Explorer's case, they knew that some audience members would respond to the commercial's visuals. Some would respond to the commercial's audio like yours truly, and the skeptics would ignore the ad and check for Firefox updates. One thing is certain. A good ad turns heads, and Internet Explorer has turned a few heads in their direction.

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About the Author

Michael Lindquist has a strong passion for art, entertainment, and advertising. As a child, he learned it was okay to color outside the lines, because the lines only restrict your creativity and imagination. Find him online here.

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