Microsoft has launched a competition challenging people to design a new character for the band Gorillaz.

The winning entry will be redrawn by Jamie Hewlett, the co-creator of Gorillaz who designed comic book-style personas for each of the band's members.

Microsoft is using the competition to promote the beta version of its new Internet Explorer 9 web browser, which launched in September.

As part of the tie-in, Murdoc, one of Gorillaz's virtual members, gives a presentation about the browser on the band's website.

An application to help entrants finalise their designs has gone live on the Gorillaz website. The winner, judged by Hewlett and Gorillaz's design team, will be announced in January.