MSN Launches 'Search and Win' Contest

By Ed Oswald | Published February 13, 2006, 1:25 PM

MSN has come up with a new plan to draw users away from Google: free stuff. The company launched a contest on Monday that will give users a chance to win prizes simply by using the service's search engine. Over $1 million in prizes will be available during the months of February, March and April.

Prizes include gift certificates from American Express, Target, REI and Nike. MSN will also be giving away Canon PowerShot digital cameras, HP Digital Entertainment Centers, and Creative Zen Sleek MP3 players.

Three selected winners will additionally be able to donate $10,000, $25,000 and $50,000 to the charities of their choice.

1,200 keywords would be initially linked to prizes this month, with more keywords added in March and April. Users would find out if they were winners in the subsequent result page after entering their search term.

A consistent third in search engine ratings behind market leaders Google and Yahoo, MSN is looking for ways to entice users to make the switch. So far, the company's efforts have been largely unsuccessful, which could be why it is looking towards promotions to increase its visibility.

Yahoo has also considered a similar promotion.

"Whether you want to win a cool prize or give back to your favorite charity, now is a great time to try MSN Search," MSN Search marketing director Lisa Gurry said in a statement.

Comments

the odds are pretty low.......

1:100 000!!
-or-
1:250 000!!!!

by the way......
what language is moisecabral
speaking?
certainly not english.....

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GR8 idea, I'll give it a try.

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I find that msn search is very easy to use and the results are usually very good.

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Eu sou Brasileiro , queria muito participar dessa promoção para mostrar que os Brasileiros também podem mostrar um pouquinho de suas culturas e suas origens.
Gosto muito do modo de vida de voces , desde pequenos aprendem a ser independentes e também são muitos inteligentes.

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MSN Search is the best !

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Not worth the bother.

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Hey.. I'll give it a try

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So now Microsoft, in a mad rush to save face (and business), is going to give prizes out if you use their search engine?

Wow.....think they are hanging on by a thread?

LOL.

*shaking head side to side*

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Just watch: In 2 or 3 days, some random website, or maybe just a blog, will have a constantly updated list of winning search terms.

And people will find that website/blog by searching for it on Google.

lol

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That search and win link is not working.

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notice how Microsoft never gives free copies of its own OS ....

they know people hate windows and wouldnt take it even if it were free :P ...

( i use windows myself ... this is just a random rant )

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that or there's a pretty good chance that the user will already be using Windows so its kinda pointless to give them another copy.

*note I said pretty good, not perfect*

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What good would a copy of an OS be for most everyday computer users? If that OS came with a PC, then it would be of value. Most users would end up using an OS CD-ROM (any OS) as a coaster.

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They does for WIndows XP 64-bit, free for the active beta testers.

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Some of us aren't as careful with our *Microsoft* CDs as you are :P I know my XP CD is destroyed... and I'm NOT buying a new one (their not cheep)

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