Mark - Microsoft adCenter

With the company's development of adCenter, Microsft realized that they needed to offer something different to its users to differentiate themselves from Google. Instead of competing directly with what Google offers, Microsoft decided to take a different approach. Such things as displaying more ads in the same screen space, by requiring providers to use less text in their ads have been done. This benefits the advertisers, because more ads have the potential to be clicked on by viewers.

Another interesting date in history was when Microsoft and Facebook joined forces in August 2006, reaching an agreement on advertising on one of the most popular social networking sites today. Microsoft is the exclusive provider of banner advertising on the site. This created great exposure for Microsoft, because Facebook is constantly viewed everyday by its users.

Here's a link to a guy named Don Dodge, and his take on the Microsoft-Facebook merger