Microsoft's "People-Ready" Campaign - Targeting IBM ?

Details

Case Code : CLMM055
Publication date : 2009
Subject : Marketing Management
Industry : Computers, IT & ITeS
Length : 04 Pages
Price : Rs. 100

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Key words:

Microsoft, People-Ready, Campaign, Targeting, IBM, Steve Ballmer, Ballmer, Chief Executive officer of Microsoft Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, corporate customers, press, press personnel, industry, industry analysts, company, people, Windows Vista, office 2007, Exchange Server, SQL Server, marketing campaign, software, advertisement, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, communications, collaboration, knowledge workers, searching company databases, business intelligence, customer relationship management, voice recognition, e-mail, translation technology, Excel spreadsheet, products, email, network

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Abstract:

This Micro Case Study discusses about Microsoft Corporation's 'people-ready' advertising promotional campaign. Steve Ballmer of Microsoft also launched an attack on IBM service business model. However, analysts and Ken Bisconti of IBM criticized Microsoft's proprietary software model which was still in the pre-internet era. Open source rivals like Linux and IBM's Lotus products were gaining ground on Microsoft. Added to this the launch of the Vista operating system was delayed.

Introduction At a press meet held on March 16, 2006, Steve Ballmer (Ballmer) Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft) announced to a gathering of corporate customers, press personnel, and industry analysts, the company's "people-ready" campaign. Ballmer said that Microsoft would offer products like Windows Vista, Office 2007, Exchange Server and SQL Server 2006 with an emphasis on empowering its corporate customers to increase their business productivity. "This is a natural extension of the founding vision of Microsoft - empowering people with software," said Ballmer.

This "people-ready" initiative would be supported by a US$ 500 million marketing campaign, which was launched with an eight page advertisement in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal that day.

Ballmer outlined the scope of the company's "people-ready" vision which included communications and collaboration among knowledge workers, searching company databases, business intelligence and customer relationship management...

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