Marketing Communication Approach - Microsoft Organization and Apple Corporation - Essay Example

?Running Head: MARKETING COMMUNICATION APPROACH Marketing Communication Approach [Institute Marketing Communication Approach Introduction This paper is written within the context of marketing communications approach. The paper identifies the different approaches Microsoft organization and Apple Corporation have used for marketing communication, by studying their respective press or news releases published at the companies’ official websites. The marketing communications is a crucial element for a company as it is responsible for communing with the public the corporate affairs, events, product launches and extensions, price cuts and discounts, an outlet or facility launch, social involvement and community concerns, and news featuring other values and concerns to secure consumer trust. There are various communication channels that any organization may use for corresponding with the consumers, investors, suppliers, social activist groups and media groups. These channels range from advertising, trade promotions, consumer promotions, event marketing and sponsorship, personal selling and publicity & public relations. The news release publication is concerned with and falls under the publicity and public relations category of marketing communication strategy. The news releases are issued by an organization whenever it has a worth mentioning news, event, or offer to announce publically that catches or is likely to grasp media’s, investors’ or consumers’ attention. These press or news releases are often open for free access to general public and at times these are characterized by restricted access to particular groups because of sensitive details and to secure confidential information disclosure. At times interested parties are encouraged to pay for these news releases to acquire access to valuable information discovery about an organization, for instance; financial news releases. Microsoft’s Marketing Communication Approach Introduction to Microsoft: Microsoft is a multinational public organization, which was founded in 1974 by Bill Gates, and is headquartered in America. The company operates in IT industry and serves consumers globally. Microsoft’s marketing offers comprise of a wide range of products which falls under the categories of operating systems, hardware devices, software applications, business solutions, developers and IT pro products, and miscellaneous products that comes from diverse orientations. The company’s moves exhibits fierce competition focused vision and strategic agenda for its business activities. It started as an operating system developer for IT industry but now the company has diversified and extended its operations across so many product categories. Recently Microsoft has launched mobile operating system as windows phone and has entered into PC vending market to leverage its brand reputation and give tough time to the competition. Marketing Communication Approach: Microsoft’s marketing communication approach, as reflected by the news releases and ads archives at the organization’s official website, is characterized as being overwhelmingly product oriented. The company has published around 28 news releases during the month of July this year; dated from 2nd to 30th July. These news releases primarily feature novel and latest product updates or launches across the various Microsoft product portfolios. These press releases also feature news pertaining to Microsoft’s patents and special agreements with business partners; financial reports and quarterly results of company’s progress; investment and investor news; mergers and acquisitions, acknowledgement and announcement regarding opening of new Microsoft office; Microsoft’s accomplishments; and also shares other news concerning internal happenings and affairs at Microsoft. The product featured news releases are preoccupied by updates pertaining to almost all of the products of Microsoft including three news releases about cloud computing technology, one related to consumer products, one about dynamics technology, two over new hardware features and launches, and two related to acknowledgements about enhancements in Microsoft Office app. The most prominent thing that has been observed in Microsoft’s news releases was that each one directly or indirectly promotes a certain Microsoft product offer in some way. Second thing that was outstanding in these news releases was the consistency with which the organization is devoted to commune about its marketing offers. The company’s marketing communication approach is very much aggressive and unswerving, which is reflected by the frequency with which it has released comprehensive news and updates in just a month’s span. The organization has deliberately promoted short stories featured around Microsoft’s current events and happenings like appointing of a new top management personnel, achievements, funding or participation in a novel cause or research and study, or extension of office etc. The news releases also targets the business partners of the Microsoft organization, which reveals information about new alliances and sensitive financial information. Microsoft’s news releases are not characterized as mere announcements of events and updates about products rather they are attributed as promotion message campaign that could serve as a tool for Microsoft’s integrated marketing communication. These news releases are not only product feature centered and business partners’ focused rather these are directed towards specific consumer groups. The news releases are targeted towards special consumer segments like baby boomers and students to encourage them to utilize certain special Microsoft products. This is head hunting of specific consumer market segments. The marketing communication approach at Microsoft is deemed as aggressively competitive, consistent and targeted. The ads archives and the news releases together not just informs the audience about the product, events and activities of Microsoft but these also promotes the company’s products by delivering integrated messages in a repeated and consistent manner. Apple’s Marketing Communication Approach Introduction to Apple: Apple Inc. is another multinational public company, which was established by Steve Jobs in the year 1976. Apple Inc. is also based America. It operates in IT industry and is known for hardware devices and software applications, consumer electronics industry and digital distribution industry. The company started operating as a computer vendor and now it has diversified itself into retailing activities and into manufacturing of consumer electronics. Marketing Communication Approach: The organization, Apple, has published around 12 news releases during the time span of four months; during April, June and July. The company’s news releases are product focused; reveals financial information through quarterly reports; extension into new market; and acknowledgements about the happenings at Apple. The marketing communication approach of Apple is focused and submissive. The limited publication of news releases about the company’s affairs and marketing offers exhibits that the Apple controls and curbs the frequent public interaction by rolling out only the most relevant and important news about the happenings within and outside the organization. The news release pertaining to the announcement of Apple products feature Mountain Lion’s availability at Mac stores, arrival of Apple’s novel iPod in China, launch of iTunes stores in Asian market, and enhancement and updates regarding MacBook Pro. Other news pertains to the company’s financial results disclosing the earnings of Apple from each product category, earning per share, profit and revenue info and dividend policy etc. Apple has also shared any major information regarding the company’s internal affairs, for instance, retirement of any top management personnel. The information shared in all the press releases is brief and to the point. Each press release on address the relevant information on the particular subject; besides the news releases the ad archives at the company’s official website are also succinct and do not link one marketing offer with the other. Compare & Contrast Microsoft and Apple have certain similarities and dissimilarities. Therefore, can be compared and contrasted with reference to the industries they operate in, the target market, and products they offer to the market. The marketing communication approach of Microsoft for its products is more competitive and aggressive than that of Apple, because it provides detailed information in each news release and ads over its website. The message communicated by Microsoft is more integrated, interlinked with other product offers and is created around a short storyline about the company’s efforts for creating such a product for consumers. The message of Apple’s news release is more like an assertion of the features of its products that facilitates the user, however, the message of the Microsoft is not just an acknowledgment rather it is designed in a manner that promotes one product by reinforcing its benefits from various dimensions. The product related messages in Apple news releases are feature oriented whilst in case of Microsoft, these messages are customer value oriented. Both of them target students’ consumer segment in different manners. The communication at Apple website is rather simple and brief, but the communication at Microsoft website is consistent, compulsive and directed towards action. The Apple Inc. has shared only the most promising information about the products and stores launches, market extensions, and financial progress, but it has not shared any information pertaining to company’s frequent business activities like Microsoft. Conclusion The purpose of this paper was to study the press releases and the ads at Apple’s and Microsoft’s website, to determine their marketing communication approach individually and in comparison to the other. It has been found that the marketing communication approach of Microsoft is more aggressive, consistent and customer value oriented, whilst the communication approach of Apple is rather simple, brief and feature focused. The communication at Microsoft is more frequent and detailed while that of Apple is more controlled, to the point and limited. Bibliography Apple. Apple Press Info. 30. Jul. 2012 http://www.apple.com/pr/ Mircosoft. Microsoft News Center. 30. Jul. 2012. Read More