Microsoft Corp. has earmarked $500 million for a global marketing and sales campaign to sway business customers to use the company’s new software solutions due out over the next year.
The campaign backs a new “People-Ready” vision, an attempt to show businesses how their employees, armed with the right software, are key to driving success.
The Redmond, WA-based company will reportedly use the money to broaden its sales force and to buy ads to support the vision. The company will also mobilize more than 640,000 global partners to spread the word.
The campaign is geared towards business decision makers in medium-sized and large businesses, said Jeff Raikes, president of Microsoft’s business division, in a statement.
“Getting the most out of their people is on the mind of every business leader I speak with,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer at a press conference announcing the campaign. “Successful businesses understand that people drive business success and growth. At Microsoft, we understand that and are passionate about the idea that the right software can provide the tools to empower workers to become the drivers of business success.”
Raikes said IBM’s strategy, unlike Microsoft, does not focus on giving customers the right tools.
“It’s a very different vision compared to IBM, which views people and IT as non-strategic assets to be outsourced and replaced by consultants,” Raikes said. “We believe that empowering people— individuals and as teams— help drive business outcomes will differentiate one company from another company.”
Eight full-page ads in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal supported the announcement.
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