Category: Management & PR

A New Microsoft Greets the World – How the Heart can Change the Mind

It was only a few years ago; I think probably 5 or 7 years, that the global giant Microsoft was ensconced in controversy over a large anti-trust legal battle. There were articles upon articles about Microsoft and Bill Gates and a lot of them shed a negative light on the company. As a result, Microsoft was seen by a large segment of the public, as bullies, monopolists, giants, software hogs and other similar attributes.

Fast forward 7 years and things have changed. A lot of these negative brand attributes today are probably applicable more to Microsoft’s chief competitor, Google. For example people have low trust about Google with their data, they see Google as too big a conglomerate, sometimes dictating terms and often refusing to refine some of their good products based on feedback (Google docs is a good example). And Microsoft – how are they seen?

Brand perceptions of Microsoft on a global basis (and even India) have undergone a sea change. First some generic global points and then followed by some India specific points.

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Creating a Brand, Is Like Raising a Child

NOTE: Published in the advertising and marketing trade journal ADGULLY here – Creating a Brand, Is Like Raising a Child – and reproduced below:

There is a huge misconception in the marketplace, with the word “brand”. What does it mean, how is it different from a product, does it have a monetary value, can it be measured, where does the brand live, can I feel it, touch it, know it; is a soap a brand, are shampoos brands and on and on it goes. And of course each product line in large companies having its own “Brand Manager”, complicates this. If we are fundamentally unclear about what a “brand” is, what happens to the “brand” manager and more so what is his or her role? 

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The Thin Line with Lobbying

Recently lobbying has gained a whole load of currency (no pun intended) in the Indian market, with Ms. Radia in the news for probably perceived incorrect reasons. Lobbying has been defined in many ways and has a huge history. The common definition of lobbying is that it seeks to influence decisions made by governments or legislators for specific interest groups or institutions or groups of people. In fact in many countries, lobbying is not such a “bad” term as sometimes referred to in India and in some it is even the fundamental right of every citizen. For example the ability of individuals, groups, and corporations to lobby the government is protected by the right to petition in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Lobbyists actually use time spent with legislators to explain the goals of the organizations they represent and the obstacles elected officials face when dealing with issues, to clients. At its fundamental level lobbying is just another way of communicating your point of view, to people who could make a difference.

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Gen Next: A Figment of Our Imagination

Media, brands, radio, TV and authors, through eternity, have all been fascinated by Gen Next. Through the ages each generation is fascinated, fearful and awed by the next generation following them, the infamous “Gen Next”. Stories are written about them, what they like and dislike; they are analysed as a consumer group, brands start catering their positioning to them and advertisers start probably appealing to their lowest salacious desires. TV programs are created to titilate Gen Next and radio cannot have enough of them. But this entire fascination with Gen Next is actually an age-old phenomena and thus a repeating pattern within the evolution of humanity. Generations and generations of humans, have always been intrigued by Gen Next. Perhaps as groups of generations grow up on earth, they find their own bodily youth in them?

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