X
Business

Microsoft readies a new Scroogled attack on 'Gspam'

Here comes another in the series of Microsoft's 'Scroogled' anti-Google campaigns.
Written by Mary Jo Foley, Senior Contributing Editor

Microsoft will launch later today its latest "Scroogled" attack -- this time on what it's calling "Gspam."

gspam

"Already reading your Gmail, Google now using your private content to Scroogle you with spam that looks like real emails," according to a Microsoft blog post which is scheduled to go live on August 9. (I grabbed a copy of it before Microsoft seemingly accidentally posted and pulled it.)

"Google is now deliberately spamming inboxes with ads that look like real emails," the post notes.

Microsoft's latest campaign is focused on a Google Gmail inbox redesign from May that resulted in Gmail users seeing unsolicited advertisement messages in the “Promotions” tab of the new Gmail inbox. Here's how to disable that Promotions tab, courtesy of the Atlantic Wire.

I am one of those who finds Microsoft's Scroogled campaign to be a waste of money that would be better spent on continuing to make Outlook.com an even better product. I know some others think the handiwork of Microsoft's Executive Vice President of Advertising and Strategy Mark Penn and company to be a good use of time, funds and energy.

Microsoft also is scheduled to publish today results of a public GfK Roper poll showing nine out of ten consumers "disapprove of the practice of advertisements being made to look like personal emails and believe that their email inbox should be the most private place on the Internet." (Only nine out of ten? Who's that tenth guy or gal -- a Google advertising employee?)

Editorial standards