Microsoft’s new IE ad: loads of nostalgia, no real message

In case you missed it, 90s nostalgia is huge right now. If you want an indication of how huge, just go to comedy site Buzzfeed. Anyway, Microsoft’s decided to tap into that nostalgia with its latest ad for Internet Explorer.

The ad goes through a litany of fads, bad haircuts and toys: tamgotchis, snap bracelets and Hungry Hungry Hippos all make an appearance. Back then, Microsoft seems to be saying, things were simpler. The only social network was the Oregon trail, only big corporate types had mobile phones it was doing its level best to make sure you only had one browser to worry about.

Now says Microsoft, you’ve grown up and so has Internet Explorer. Apparently it wants to reconnect. Sort of like that creepy person from high school who you never really liked but who keeps trying to strike up conversations with you on Facebook.

Fortunately, just as you can check out the creepy ex-schoolmate’s profile to see if they’ve somehow become a better person. so you can try Internet Explorer. And if you don’t like it, you never have to use it again. Isn’t that wonderful?