Rather than positioning MSN 8 against all ISPs, MSN’s research showed it was more strategic to go right after the largest, most dissatisfied group: AOL customers. For years these consumers had remained with AOL in the belief that no alternative was truly superior, and that even if it was, switching required more effort than it was worth. In our multi-media campaign we demonstrated the real advantages of MSN 8, including switching software that made changing over so easy that there was no reason not to do so. Creatively, our work used the MSN butterfly, as well as hard-hitting direct marketing techniques to get customers to switch – including an offer of two free months of service.

Our campaign ran at the same time as a major marketing effort by AOL for its latest product. Response rates for MSN8 increased by 57%. The integrated campaign decreased overall cost per acquisition by 30% ; the print alone decreased CPA by 74%. The retail print drove a 125% increase in retail sales and once TV was added to the mix, acquisitions increased by another 25%.