Comments on: CP+B, Fast Company, Apple and PC

By: Jeff Ess

Jeff Ess — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:47:52 +0000

Oliver… CP+B Strength is tapping into a companies weaknesses, understanding their core values and delivering on a new formulated brand promise. Microsofts problem is they haven’t clearly identified to the market place is to who they are and their core beliefs. Their products are broad and so is their position. The reason why Microsoft is hiring CP+B is because they’re very concerned about the 6% market share Mac has. Changing from Microsoft to Mac is common and is going to become more common. Once you go Mac you never go back. I have never heard of anyone selling their mac and moving to Microsoft. If the roles were changed and MAC had a 86% marketshare, Microsoft would be dead in the water. Reason being… People are demanding an integrated solution, something that works out of the box. Microsofts problem: They’re still weighing on their core values from the 80’s with a “first to market strategy”. Now that your first to market… Now what? You your left with an experience that is just that. You’re first. The MP3 market was there well before the iPod. Microsofts answer to the iPod was the Zune. What Microsoft fails to identify is that is wasn’t the iPod that made it own 75% of the market inside of 2 years. It was the iPod and iTunes. Hardware, UI, Design and Software. Of course it’s cool. You don’t just label something cool either. When every detail of the product line has been labored over and over again. They want to be the best, not first to market.

They single handedly changed the music industry with itunes. WHY? Because they refused to innovate and reinvent themselves. They’re out of touch with their market and the invention of the internet. Suing organization exchanging information of the internet like Napster and not embracing it and recognizing that this is the answer to future for music distribution, which is the most expensive part for any one of their products. Who wants to print 3 million discs for Madonna’s number one hit anyway? And when it doesn’t sell…

Regardless, companies need to embrace change, identify and understand their culture so they can evolve if you want to become a leader in any industry with longevity. Right now, Microsoft can’t even find Mac user’s to develop products for the Mac. No one wants to work for them.

My advice to Microsoft. Build your own box and integrate your hardware with your software. Continue to license your software and introduce your own PC. Build the perfect platform for your own hardware. Have a level that competes directly with apple to breed another level of core audience.

By: olivier blanchard

olivier blanchard — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:37:41 +0000

Of course I may be slightly biased here, but I’m pretty close to Microsoft’s products, how they mesh, and the value they can bring to our professional and personal lives. Microsoft’s products are for the most part pretty impressive, and I really invite anyone who isn’t familiar with Microsoft beyond the obvious bucket of products [OS (Vista/XP), MS Office, MS Outlook and MS Explorer] to look at what Microsoft is working on for 2010+.

Their collaboration and productivity tools are becoming pretty amazing. And despite all the bad press (and very successful Apple Mac vs. PC campaign), Vista is pretty damn sweet.

Microsoft’s biggest problem is that they really are terrible at Marketing. Hiring Bogusky isn’t necessarily the solution to all of MS’s PR and marketing needs, but hey, at least they’re trying. And they hired the best shop in the industry - because they can.

Ultimately, Microsoft doesn’t really care about displacing Apple (6% of the market isn’t all that threatening to Microsoft). And nothing Microsoft does (advertising or otherwise) will win over Mac’s core fan base.

That being said, Microsoft’s story isn’t being told at all - except by Apple, which is more than happy to fill the void with its own version of the facts. It’s about time Microsoft started getting in the communications game.

Does the 360 need CP+B? Nope. It’s already dominating the console world. Can Bogusky turn Zune into something cool? Maybe. (I have one and honestly, the iPod and Zune aren’t all that different.) Can Bogusky make Microsoft cool? Well… Unlike Apple, MS doesn’t make computers. Part of the cool factor of a PC user’s experience depends on the box’s design, so HP, Dell, Sony and the rest of the computer vendors will have to take the lead there. In terms of apps though (what MS products actually do for you), Bogusky can actually bring context and clarity to the sea of MS solutions that are out there now, and MS’ vision for technology’s advances through the next decade.

I really think that Microsoft and Apple are mutually beneficial to each other. I dig both for different reasons. I am getting a little bored with the whole Mac vs. PC stereotype thing now. I’ve been a PC for 8 years… but that doesn’t make me a dork.

(See right through me in 3…2…1…: I manage Microsoft channel distribution at SYNNEX)

By: Stephen Tompkins

Stephen Tompkins — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 03:13:30 +0000

I recently read this article on a plane up from Florida and although CP+B does great work they have a monumental task with the Microsoft win. One thing is for sure I am dying to see the creative they come up with and thats a good start.

By: Heather

Heather — Tue, 27 May 2008 18:35:34 +0000

I found this article absolutely fascinating - and while there are lots of people I love and respect at CP+B, I agree with the comment that they need to think more about how to position Microsoft than they do about Apple’s position. Apple works endlessly to create great products and great experiences, and more often than not, they succeed. The funny thing about their current campaign is that most days, they don’t think about what Microsoft is doing - they simply want to make sure more of the world experiences what Apple is doing.

By: Marya

Marya — Thu, 22 May 2008 12:37:32 +0000

An act of God (an electrical storm) rocked my PC last summer, so a friend loaned me a G4. My friend is gone, but I’m still using that G4.

I love mac, but I’m rubbing my palms together with anticipation, wondering what Bogusky is going to do. After watching Steve Ballmer get pelted with raw eggs in Budapest. . . I guess Alex better start cookin’ up some omelettes.

By: Robbin

Robbin — Thu, 22 May 2008 00:26:50 +0000

Jeff, I saw that article on China and I have to agree. Wow.

By: BIG Kahuna

BIG Kahuna — Wed, 21 May 2008 20:14:12 +0000

I think it’s great they hired them. But they need to focus on their position and less on Apple’s.

By: Mr. Steve

Mr. Steve — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:34:06 +0000

So, does this make Alex Bogusky the new “iPod Killer”?

Microsoft confuses me.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:26:48 +0000

Also by the way the article on China in that issue is very scary!

By: BIG Kahuna

BIG Kahuna — Tue, 20 May 2008 20:22:13 +0000

It would be over my graphic designers cold dead bodies before I could switch them. Apple users are not, repeat, not PC target users. They should focus on who their customers are and build on that. Mac users ain’t it!