Sexing up Search – Get to Know Ms. Dewey

Microsoft is advancing a whole new search interface with the release of their sexy Ms. Dewey system, featuring B-rate film actress, Janina Gavankar.

This new search concept is an interactive approach to search. When you type in a search query the search results are preempted with a bit of interactive video where Ms. Dewey comments on the merit of your search.

While the interactive component (which could use some work on its transitions) is interesting, the search results (pulled from Microsoft’s Live Search engine) that are displayed are so far off the relevancy wagon that they are pretty much useless.

For example, if you do a search for the term rap in Ms. Dewey, there is a 1 in 3 chance that she will unleash a *beep* filled tirade that is somewhat comical, but if you were really there to see the search results, you would be disappointed with what Live Search found after the fun is over.

This is another component in the growing trend to sex-up search engines and online advertising. Even Google, who avoids anything pornographic in their AdSense and AdWords programs like the plague, is now accepting and displaying more “revealing” advertisements than ever before.

I don’t really see this search model going anywhere in its current form. But with some additional work on the interactivity, better search results, and a more user-friendly search interface, it could have possibilities down the line.