Microsoft launches major UK push for Bing

Microsoft has announced that it will launch a major advertising campaign to encourage the UK to start using its Bing search engine.

The advertising campaign – which will run across major television stations – will use the slogan 'Bing and decide' and is aiming, in Microsoft's words, to help searchers make more informed decisions.

Microsoft's UK MD Ashley Highfield spoke to TechRadar last month about the need to up public awareness and get people to give Bing a try rather than sticking with search's 500 pound gorilla Google.

PR story to tell

"I think that we do need to have a marketing campaign and I think that the promotion we can give to it from some of our assets like MSN is very important," Highfield told TechRadar.

"We've got a PR story to tell. When people have used a product for the best part of a decade they don't realise that - particularly as 'to Google' has become a verb - their Hoover is looking a bit old fashioned next to the Dyson.

"We're Dyson – we've got the better product. Now Dyson came from nowhere and has become the UK's number one hoover.

"I want people to Google in Bing."

Tough task

Of course, actually persuading people to move away from a search engine that, for many, has become synonymous with the internet is going to be a tough ask.

"Bing is new, fresh and not another 'here today and gone tomorrow' project, concluded Highfield.

"This is trench warfare and it won't be over in days and months but years."