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Buzz Out Loud Lounge: Microsoft's biggest blunder: Not fighting back vs. Apple
Microsoft's biggest blunder: Not fighting back vs. Apple
by Slikkster - 6/24/08 5:02 AMI finally heard this discussed at some length on last week's TWIT, and it's something I've been wondering about for quite some time now. Why is Microsoft staying quiet in the wake of the relentless (and ridiculous) marketing onslaught perpetuated by Apple with it's "Im a Mac - I'm a PC" switch to Apple campaign?
It's an axiom in politics that a charge unanswered becomes a "truth" in the minds of those who don't know differently. Vista is being labeled by Apple as an operating system fraught with problems, and Microsoft lets it happen. It's unbelievable!
If I had to guess, I'd say Microsoft is taking the tack that it doesn't want to "legitimize" Apple by even mentioning it in an ad campaign. But at what point do they have a change of heart? I'd also guess that a good deal of the Mac's increasing market share is due, in no small measure, to their unchallenged characterization of Windows (Vista). That's taking nothing away from the Macs as quality machines with a quality OS. But seriously; there are any number now of Mac alternatives that appeal on the style side while running on Vista.
The TWIT panel said that Microsoft doesn't actually have a marketing guru, and that they only take their cues from inside the company vs. out. That is a recipe for market share disaster. Say what you will about Apple, but they are no slouches on the marketing side.
So what's up with that, Ballmer? Are you that blind, deaf, and dumb so as not to perceive what's happening in the marketplace? Man up, dude. You're killing your brand and your shareholders.
Brand and demand destruction is the new paradigm.
by R. Proffitt
- 6/24/08 5:09 AM
In reply to: Microsoft's biggest blunder: Not fighting back vs. Apple by Slikkster
I could explain MS's actions but it would take much more than this space could hold. It has to do with some basics of making a product that just good enough to go to market. Apple has a slightly better standard for their software.
Fast forward to now and now Ballmer and crew are chasing "recurring revenue" or advertising bucks. It's a big bright shiny thing littered with money so they can't seem to shake it off and return to their core business.
Bob
Nah!
by PressAnyKey - 6/24/08 6:32 AM In reply to: Brand and demand destruction is the new paradigm. by R. Proffitt
I think MS is letting the cost differential do the talking. Macs sell at a premium and in tough economic times a consumer may not care enough about the OS to pay the extra scratch...
So how do we do that math?
by R. Proffitt - 6/24/08 6:45 AM
In reply to: Nah! by PressAnyKey
On the Apple I don't scan for viruses and such. I just use the machine. Are you telling me you think it's ok for you to be paying a time penalty?
When their free family IT support gets tired of dealing
by minimalist - 6/24/08 2:39 PM In reply to: Nah! by PressAnyKeywith all their Windows problems they might think its more cost effective in the long run to just pay the extra couple hundred bucks and get a Mac.
I got so tired of spending hours and hours degragging and reinstalling Windows and cleaning off malware that I made an ultimatum: get a Mac or you'll have to pay a third party for support. After lookign at what they would have to pay the Geek squad for a single incident, two of them have bought Macs.
Core Business
by Renegade Knight - 6/24/08 12:45 PM In reply to: Brand and demand destruction is the new paradigm. by R. Proffitt
Their core business is not sustainable at past levels. If MS did everthing right with their core business sales would drop and they would shrink as a company. The path they are on is a way to keep their size if they are successful.
Look at MS's cell phone OS.
by R. Proffitt - 6/24/08 3:55 PM
In reply to: Core Business by Renegade Knight
I'm blind!!!
Hypothesis...
by paintguru - 6/24/08 8:44 AM In reply to: Microsoft's biggest blunder: Not fighting back vs. Apple by SlikksterSomeone I know will tell me how stupid this idea is, but perhaps MS has no problem with Apple increasing its market share because a large number (this is a guess) of Apple owners run Windows on their system? Sales are sales, whether it is running Windows on a PC or a Mac (actually, I would argue they make more money on retail sales for the Mac then OEM sales for the PC). Is it possible that MS has no problem with an increased market share for Mac because of this? This doesn't account for their lack of fight vs. the iPod for their Zune though. Just a thought.
Actually that's a good point
by Nicholas Buenk - 6/24/08 8:25 PM In reply to: Hypothesis... by paintguruMicrosoft makes more money off a mac user than pc user, ignoring piracy. Mac user will buy copy of XP to run in vmware, plus a copy of microsoft office. And both of these at retail and not OEM pricing.
Interesting...
by DaveBinM - 6/24/08 9:06 AM In reply to: Microsoft's biggest blunder: Not fighting back vs. Apple by SlikksterWell, I'm surprised MS hasn't done anything, you'd think they can only really go down and Apple is more likely to go up. Whoever does marketing at Apple earns their money. People talk about Apple events getting more attention than MS ones, but I think it's how well they market their stuff and build hype and anticipation. I use Mac, but if MS came out with something I thought was really good, and worth getting, (like if the Zune became really good, anc actually sold in AU), then I'd buy it.
Contradiction?
by LunaticSX - 6/25/08 2:15 AM In reply to: Interesting... by DaveBinMYou wrote "I think it's how well they [Apple] market their stuff and build hype and anticipation" and then "if MS came out with something I thought was really good, and worth getting, (like if the Zune became really good, anc actually sold in AU), then I'd buy it."
So if Microsoft had the same level of marketing, hype, and anticipation... you'd STILL not buy their products until they had something you thought was worth getting?
Are you saying that Apple's marketing, hype, and anticipation don't work on you, and that's just what everyone ELSE bases their buying decisions on? If it's not working on you, surely there are other people it's not working on, who ALSO base their decisions on other factors.
Well,
by DaveBinM - 6/25/08 2:48 AM In reply to: Contradiction? by LunaticSXI think it does work on me I have to say, I am excited about things like the iPhone, partly because of the hype, but I think a lot of Apple products, look and feel nice, not all, but a lot. Now, if Microsoft had the same level of marketing and hype etc. I might look at getting one of their products, and I'd at least pay it more attention. I own two Apple products, which I've been happy with, but other products are good too, I was seriously tempted by the Dell XPS 1330. So, I base my decisions on hype a little, but what I like the look and feel of.
Ha!
by Nicholas Buenk - 6/25/08 5:23 PM In reply to: Well, by DaveBinMMarketing and hype, the Zune has plenty of that. But you still don't want it, this an example that still need a good product first. I'd say the first step in good marketing, is to have something worthy of good marketing.
Depends on where you are...
by DaveBinM - 6/26/08 7:20 AM In reply to: Ha! by Nicholas BuenkBecause the Zune isn't sold here in Australia, I've heard virtually nothing of it at all. The hype for it just isn't global like Apple's is. But as I said earlier, if there was something cool, I'd buy it.
Microsoft's biggest blunder: Not fighting back vs. Apple
by wizkids32 - 6/24/08 2:24 PM In reply to: Microsoft's biggest blunder: Not fighting back vs. Apple by SlikksterTrue that. They did miss out and now they are paying the price for it because hardly want to use Vista more people want to stay on XP.
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