People-Ready Business Campaign Launched

Emphasizing the value of the business desktop before it launches updates to its desktop OS and productivity suite, Microsoft will spend US$500 million on a marketing campaign called “People-Ready Business.” Rather than displaying computers or data centers, the campaign features hundreds of individuals in work settings such as offices, hallways, or manufacturing floors, as Microsoft asserts the advantages that companies can gain by unleashing the talents of their employees. The campaign is intended to suggest that companies should spend less on external consultants and make greater use of their own employees armed with familiar software that the business already owns.

The Campaign

The People-Ready Business campaign will include significant advertising efforts in print, television, and online media. The day that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer introduced the campaign at an Executive Business Forum in New York for mid-market customers, the company published an eight-page spread in major newspapers. Billboard, television, and online advertising campaigns are also planned. (For a look at one of the advertisements, see “People-Ready Business Advertising“.)