Re: iSeries (non-) Marketing - part 24,566

Has anyone seen this yet ? :(

http://search400.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid3_gci926090,00.h
tml

Narayanan R Pillai
----- Original Message -----
From: "Hans Boldt" <boldt@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2003 8:46 AM
Subject: Re: iSeries (non-) Marketing - part 24,566


> Evan Harris wrote:
> > Hans
> >
> > the problem with IBM's approach is that no-one knows what they stand
> > for. Everyone knows what Microsoft (or Sun or Oracle) stands for. They
> > stand for their flagship product. When they are talking to a customer
> > they recommend their product as the solution and tell the customer why
> > they should buy it.
> >
> > IBM tries to be all things to all people and thus advises the customer
> > that whatever solution they choose IBM can help. This kind of advice is
> > actually no help to the customer (of for that matter the BP). IBM ends
> > up looking unassertive and indecisive. This does not win sales it just
> > makes IBM sounds like a "me too !" beggar.
> >
> > In this case I think the logic is based on a false assumption because
> > the IBM brand is not associated with a specific product. Think
> > Microsoft, think "Windows", Think Oracle, think Oracle, Think Sun, think
> > Sun etc etc
> >
> > IBM needs to create brand awareness for its four branded products.
> >
>
> First, note that I'm just some programmer lackey buried somewhere
> deep in this organization who has absolutely no input into the
> company's ad strategy. But I have some idea of what business this
> company wants to be in, and as far as I can tell, the current ads we
> see are consistent with that strategy. (And I actally like some of
> those ads!)
>
> Second, it's not really appropriate to compare IBM's strategy with
> that of other companies. MS (and others) are pushing specific
> products. But things happen so fast in this industry that it's very
> easy to get caught out. And so basically IBM's "product" is
> services. (That may well be an over-simplification.) That is,
> whereas MS's business model depends on extracting as many licenses
> as possible for a single piece of software on a single machine,
> IBM's business model is less sensitive to changing technology since
> we seem to be embracing many different technologies. Also, MS has
> this nasty habit of getting into competition with it's business
> partners, which is also a game we don't want to play.
>
> My point here is that comparisons with other companies, especially
> MS, are meaningless.
>
> Thirdly, personally, I don't disagree with the need for more iSeries
> exposure, provided it's in the right place. But the right place, in
> my opinion, is the trade publications, not the general media.
>
> Finally, I wonder if there are zSeries or xSeries fans who are
> complaining about lack of ad exposure in their particular arenas! ;-)
>
> Cheers! Hans
>
>
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