Applications
Windows Live Hotmail to have more features for advertisers
MUMBAI: Microsoft Corp. today announced that Windows Live Hotmail, the successor to MSN Hotmail, is launching globally in more than 36 languages and 12 markets across Asia, including India. The new service combines the best advertising features from MSN Hotmail with new and improved formats that allow advertisers to gain more mileage in web space. The new version also promises to be safer, more powerful and productive, with flexible access via the Web, on a mobile phone or with an e-mail client. |
With the launch of Windows Live Hotmail, Microsoft has tried to balance the needs of advertisers with the user experience. A new single 728 x 90 super-banner ad that appears on the main mail, contacts, and calendar pages aims to ensure that advertisers capture 100 per cent share of voice. Similarly, a large rectangular 300 X 600 ad unit on the Sent Mail confirmation page is meant to serve a similar purpose. On the Today page, advertisers can leverage 300 X 250 and 728 x 90 super-banner ads to get in front of consumers as soon as they log into their accounts. Advertisers will also be able to target customers by age, gender, occupation, region, country, language, time and day and connection speed. “Windows Live Hotmail is a unique experience that will help to deepen engagement with our users and expand our audience. By developing an experience for people that is fast, simple, and safe, we have built a valuable touch point for advertisers,” says MSN India head of digital marketing revenue and strategic business Rajnish. |
Several upgraded features include the safety bar at the top of each e-mail message that will give a visual cue of the status of the e-mail, improved spam protection, customization of views and coloured themes according to the choice of users. The classic version looks similar to MSN Hotmail for those who prefer the familiar look, while full version works more like Outlook with advanced functionality. |
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
