Microsoft Branding
Microsoft Corporation has grown to become the worldwide leader in technology solutions surrounding software, devices and services since it was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975. Microsoft is a brand that has products and solutions that can be founded in every home and office in the world, and it is one of the top ten brands in the world.
The Brand Strategy Of Multiple Products And Compatibility Networking
As said above, Microsoft is present in almost every home or office in the world. They have numerous products such as their operating system to games to cloud computing, among many others. This large amount of products coupled with the fact that they are regularly releasing new products, make them a popular choice for most users.
The strategy of numerous products is further reinforced by the way the products are linked to one another. Every Microsoft product is compatible with the next product. There is no product that stands alone. This is very helpful to users. For example, your 2003 word document will still opens when you send it to a user that uses a higher Word version and possibly a higher operating system.
This aspect of the brand’s strategy has made Microsoft one of the most popular brands and most widely used brands when it comes to technology solutions.
The Evolution Of Microsoft’s Brand
In the beginning, Microsoft had a brand promise which was to give people easy access to technology and they fulfilled that. Now, the company has a new mission statement which wants “To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.” They have moved from just “a PC on every desktop and in every home” to a bigger mission which includes its old mission as a goal among others.
Microsoft, as a result of its expansions, development of numerous products and acquiring of several others, had developed somewhat of a fragmented brand. It was common for users to use a Microsoft product but not realise it was a Microsoft product. A common example of this would be Skype. The company then started working on ensuring that the company brand was more recognised which is the reason for a lot of their recent ads to not focus on a product but on the overall Microsoft brand.
Core Values Of The Brand
A brand’s core values has a lot to do with how it is perceived by its customers and eventually, its success. Microsoft has core values which surround innovation, inclusion and diversity, philanthropies, corporate social responsibility, environment and trustworthy computing. Microsoft is one organisation that is known for its philanthropy and corporate social responsibility. This however, might be in part due to the rub off from the popularity of the Gates Foundation. The social impact perception on the overall, has helped with the consumer perception of Microsoft.
Brand Value
Microsoft is one of the world’s most valuable brands and is ranked third on the global list by Forbes. Its brand value has steadily increased from 2006 to 2016, till it has now become the third most valuable company in the world.
