AdAge: Microsoft Changes Again; Kumo.com is out, Bing.com Is It’s New Search Engine
Microsoft has switched gears again in its naming of it’s search engine. From Live.com to Kumo.com (which never officially launched) they have appearently settled on Bing.com
According to Ad Age, Microsoft plans on spending $80 million to $100 million on its ad campaign for Bing.
Ad Age points out that Google only spent about $25 million on all its advertising last year, while Microsoft, spent $361 million.
From the domain side of things, I like bing.com better than Kumo.com.
You have Bing cherries and its close to Bling. Kumo never really did anything for me and didn’t mean anything.
This continues the trend of major companies using LLLL domains to brand their sites. A couple of months ago the SciFi channel announced it was rebranding itself as SYFY.
Also last month Universal and YouTube annoucend they were teaming up for a new music video site called VeVo.com.
However when your talking about spending $80M-$100M in marketing, I again ask why Microsoft didn’t spend the $800K buy livesearch.com and leave the name as live.com which is much better than bing.com or kumo.com
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What’s wrong with Live.com? I like it better than LiveSearch.com or any other name they can come up with besides Search.com…
BadaBing.com wasn’t available?
Live…Live Search…why not add an ‘R’ and make it Liver.com or how about KamaSutra.com instead of Komo.com. Bing.com = how about Bong.com….
- I think we are in the days of even the monoplies using generic or common use terms vs. pulling a 4-5 letter term out of thin air like the drug manufacturers. God knows they are all using common use and generic domains right now as a co-brand anyway…
I am pretty sure Mike owns Stuff.com – and isn’t that really what search is all about – rather than 19 layers of international diversified mismanagement at Microsoft or whoever else getting caught up in the color of their shoelaces rather than just walking or running.
Brian
CheapYellowPages.com
UPDATE
More info on Bing.com:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/05262009/business/microsoft_bing_ing_it_on_google_171003.htm
Did you get this from my response on your previous post???????
Ed
I looked into it once I saw your previous post on bing.com and found the Ad Age article.
Thanks for keeping me on top of things
UPDATE 2
Here is another article on bing.com, kumo.com and Microsoft search:
http://www.thestreet.com/story/10505489/2/microsoft-wants-to-search-destroy.html
Interesting to note that bing.com sold for $25,375 on sedo in Feb 2007. I’m sure the aussie made a nice profit there.
Phil
Thanks for the Info.
UPDATE 3
More info on the history of the domain bing.com
http://www.pcworld.com/article/165531/microsoft_bing_would_bring_new_life_to_old_domain.html
stripclubs.com would be more memorable