Growing Up and Coming Back

They're making a comeback. In addition to their Surface tablet and the new Windows phone, Microsoft has released a video for the recently revamped Internet Explorer that takes us on an amusing amble down memory lane.  

The choice of [my childhood] throwbacks in correlation to technology advancements is an absolute delight. I was cheering inside as I reminisced.

"You might not remember us, but we met in the '90s... We are members of Generation Y. As in Ying Yang, yo-yo ... life moved a little slower. Disks were square, desktop folders had personality and extra storage space was just a zipper away. There was only one social network, but most of your friends died of dysentery." 

The ad concludes with a beautiful little bow and a tempting invitation, "The future was bright... You grew up ... so did we. Reconnect with the new Internet Explorer."

This ad worked, hitting me right in the sweet spot. I love nostalgia– I love slap bracelets, and pogs, and trolls, and hungry hippos, and Lisa Frank... pretty much everything in that ad except for fanny packs (though on countless occasions I've thought privately how convenient they would be...).

It's an ad for the people that grew up with the internet. And I have no doubt that many of them will take a second look at Explorer. But first, I'm pretty sure they're going to google Lisa Frank and mourn the day their mother threw out their pog collection.