After Google experimented with large search ads, Microsoft has also started testing a similar ad format. Yesterday, Microsoft announced that it is testing "Hero Ads" with some brand partners in the US market – these Hero Ads appear in Windows 8.1 Bing Smart Search, primarily when certain brand-related keywords are searched.
Companies such as Home Depot, Land Rover, Radio Shack, and Volkswagen are among the first partners for Microsoft's Hero Ads. The test involves a small number of Windows 8.1 users, and unrelated searches will not display these ads. Microsoft stated that this move is just a test, hoping to gather user feedback to find the "most suitable way for advertisers and Windows 8.1 users."
Bing Smart Search is one of the major improvements in Windows 8.1. Even during the preview version stage, Microsoft had already begun testing search ads in other positions.
via The Verge