At the same time, small businesses surveyed appear wary and uncertain when it comes to using technology: Sixty-one percent said they wait for a technology to become proven and established before buying a new product; nearly half (46 percent) say they tend to buy technology in individual pieces rather than bundles, and 44 percent admit that their primary technology decision-maker is either a beginner or only somewhat experienced. The bulk of small businesses agree they would benefit from assistance in areas such as using technology more efficiently and choosing the right technologies. "They're almost paralyzed, they don't know what to do," said Arthur White, vice chairman of Yankelovich Partners, at the announcement. "All of these are cries for help."
Anderson & Lembke, San Francisco, launches a campaign for Microsoft's Liquid Motion today with a series of interactive animated web banners designed to highlight the advantages of Liquid Motion over Java. Captured in the banners are scenarios of a chicken crossing a road, a fly being swatted, car chases and a game of pool.
A&L also believes the technology will help expand the realm of Internet advertising. "This opens up [possibilities] on the web," Sheehan says. "We've seen use of Java and Shockwave, but things are changing rapidly and now we have another tool available. That gives us more opportunities as advertisers." The initial creative executions, which include "Pool Table," "Fly," "Car" and "Chicken," each have the tagline, "Easy Animation for Every Web," and a call to download a free trial of Liquid Motion. Microsoft's Desktop Applications Division initially approached A&L to build two banner ads. A&L created five and sold Microsoft on four of them.