Voices for Innovation

The Value to Partners of Building the Windows 7 Brand

Dec 2, 2009

The Value to Partners of Building the Windows 7 Brand
A Discussion with Microsoft Marketing Leader Kate Isler

While “Microsoft” and “Windows” are well-known global brands, they are strongly associated with the world of business—not consumers—especially outside the United States. With Windows 7, Microsoft wants to change this perception by building the value of the brand with consumers.

But should consumer marketing matter to Microsoft partners and IT professionals?

“Absolutely,” answered Kate Isler, Senior Director of Global Strategy for Windows Consumer Marketing. “Many small businesses behave like consumers when it comes to technology. In fact, small businesses will often purchase three or four PCs at retailers serving home users.”

In turn, small businesses can have an impact on the larger customers they work with. And, Isler notes, enterprise employees are also regular folks who can be influenced by advertising and marketing just like any consumer. In other words, consumer marketing can have a viral effect on business decisions.

Sharpening Consumer Marketing Around the World
In the U.S., Microsoft has had an advertising presence on television and in general magazines for more than a decade. Still, according to Isler, “Consumer marketing is a new muscle for Microsoft in many markets.”

The company only recently began TV advertising in the UK and France. Radio advertising is also used in some markets to strengthen the Microsoft Windows brand.

Intensive Customer Research—and Strong Results
Brand value, however, can lose its luster if a company fails to back it up with a strong product or service. On this count, Windows 7 is on track to strengthen the value of the Microsoft brand. Early reviews and commentaries have been positive—in some cases glowing. The Wall Street Journal’s tech columnist Walt Mossberg called Windows 7 “a boost to productivity and a pleasure to use.” CNET News editors rated Windows 7 “outstanding” and wrote that, “It’s stable, smooth, and highly polished, introducing new graphical features, a new taskbar that can compete handily with the Mac OS X dock, and device management and security enhancements that make it both easier to use and safer.”

Isler said that the positive responses reflect rigorous testing by the Windows product team throughout development. “We conducted 3 million sessions with users to improve Windows.”

Isler also believes that word-of-mouth will propel a cycle of IT purchasing. “People who beta-tested Windows 7 were very enthusiastic about the product.” Microsoft tapped the enthusiasm of its partners to organize “House Parties” during the first week of launch, which added to the viral buzz. Microsoft’s brand goal is not simply to make people aware of Windows 7, but to make the operating system a preferred choice.

The Need for a Robust PC Operating System
Windows faces a range of competitive pressures that vary by market. For instance, in some established European markets, Apple’s Mac OS X has garnered strong loyalty among consumers.

In other nations, such as Lithuania, Estonia, and Macedonia, ubiquitous free or low-cost Wi-Fi lays the groundwork for thin-client computing. But Isler notes that computer users in many parts of the world cannot rely on Internet connections.

“In Latin America and India, computers are often not connected. There is still a real need for a stable, robust desktop operating system and installed software,” said Isler.

Isler’s observation has implications in the public policy arena. As she notes, consumers have a range of needs to which the competitive marketplace responds. Public policies should accommodate these needs—not restrict them or unbalance competition by favoring one type of computing over another.