--Steve Jobs, 2006
Microsoft’s 'Phase 2' ad campaign - No mention of Vista anywhere
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Has the “Vista” name become so toxic that Microsoft dare not even mention it in any of the ads? Are these ads designed to help Vista or are they being aired to pave the way for Windows 7?
Lately, Microsoft has been forced to advertise defensively. It has worked diligently to attack Linux in an effort to portray free server software as more expensive than its own very expensive server software.
Faced with a failing brand value, Microsoft also attempted to create the impression that bloggers were interested in chatting about Microsoft’s nebulous strategies with the “People Ready” campaign, which really said nothing but handed out bloggers money to repeat the “people ready” catch phrase in an attempt to turn it into a valuable brand slogan. After being exposed, Microsoft slinked away from the “pay to say” People Ready campaign..
IBM has moved past Microsoft to claim the title of second most valuable brand in the world, according to the annual Global Brand List.
Interbrand, a global brand management firm, reported Thursday that IBM’s brand value has increased 3 percent, to $59.03 billion, in 2008. That was enough to push it above Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), which was assigned a brand value of $59 billion and fell to No. 3.
Microsoft said it is donating more than $600,000 worth of cash and software to a computer learning program for overseas Filipino workers.
This is part of the program, dubbed Tulay, which is Microsoft' global Unlimited Potential initiative that involves technology-oriented programs aimed at developing countries.
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Microsoft Philippines said they expect to train 25,000 people in the next 3 years.
Tulay has trained more than 14,000 people since 2004.
--Matt Welsh