• ClickZ, Wednesday, April 12, 2006 10:30 AM

MSN is backing away from the idea of branded entertainment, which was once core to the Microsoft portal's advertising and content strategy, according to Rob Bennett, MSN's new general manager of entertainment and video. Bennett said the company will instead work to better integrate advertising with the portal's more heavily trafficked sections. Rather than forging new territory, the company is placing a heavier focus on building up those areas where they know people are already coming, Bennett said. Branded sections like "The Scenario," a Sprite-sponsored music destination for teens that launched about a year ago, will be discontinued, as they were, well, lame. Other flops from the branded entertainment and experiences team included "In the Mix," which somehow tied into MSN Music, from American Express; a Gillette-sponsored integration with MSN Video and Fox Sports; and "Fit in the City," a fitness microsite sponsored by New Balance. Bennett was promoted last month from project manager of MSN Video to oversee the portal's entertainment and video services. He said the branded content sites just weren't working out. Gayle Troberman, Microsoft's senior director of branded entertainment, reports directly to Bennett.

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