Microsoft’s attempts at advertising Internet Explorer obviously aren’t doing the trick if they are reduced to attracting customers through empty promises. Just a week ago, Microsoft announced a new campaign to donate ten meals to Feeding America with every download of Internet Explorer 8. The promise bought them advertisement and an angel halo.

The ad promised that with one download, you would be responsible for the donation of ten meals to the charity of Feeding America. That sounds like a great promise! Definitely easy and rewarding. However, when you read the fine print on the rules of the promotion, it says that with one download, Microsoft will donate $1.15 and only up to $1 million. Yes, one million dollars would be great, but $1.15 does not buy ten meals. Probably not even one.

The Feeding America promotion must have not been very successful… at least not in Australia. Microsoft is focusing on a new promotional “game”similar to a treasure hunt. They claim to have hidden $10,000 somewhere on the Internet, but you can only find it if you’re using Internet Explorer 8. If you are the first to find the money they will notify you by email. There is still one other catch. You must be following @tengrand_IE8 on Twitter to be able to win.

But the best part has to be at the bottom of the page it says, “Tell your friends. It’s not as stupid as it sounds.” All these flaws make me question the legitimacy of this contest.