14 DAY TRIAL // 2015 is undoubtedly one of the busiest years for Microsoft in the last decade, as the company is not only trying to bring its internal reorganization to an end but also to revamp its whole portfolio of products in a way that would completely change its approach to the market.
With the Windows 10 wave of products, Microsoft is looking to work together with customers to release the products they want and they need, launching several feedback programs that would help achieve this goal.
But in addition to this new strategy, Microsoft is also betting big on brand awareness, as using the name of the company for its products could boost consumer appeal to a significant extend.
Chief Marketing Officer, Microsoft, Chris Capossela, explained during his Convergence 2015 keynote that Redmond was trying to make full use of the Microsoft brand because studies had shown that it can help its products grow just because of its increasing awareness across the world.
“We also have found that the brand is just incredibly strong. While Windows is a strong brand and Office is a strong brand, the Microsoft brand is actually the strongest one we have,” he said.
New logo, increased consumer appeal
One of the ways that Microsoft is trying to make the most of its brand is the new logo, which, according to Capossela, is already proving to be a very smart change that makes people more aware that they are using a Microsoft product.
“We introduced the new Microsoft logo just two-and-a-half years ago and now we do unaided awareness surveys that tell us, hey, if we put this four-colored symbol in front of consumers how many of them say that’s Microsoft. We’re up to 67 percent globally in just two-and-a-half years. We’ll look at that four-colored symbol and say that’s Microsoft,” Capossela explained.
The software giant has already started an ambitious rebranding plan for its phone lineup, with all devices now included in the Microsoft Lumia series, again with the purpose of convincing more people to buy a device. Nokia is no longer being used for Lumia phones and all handsets come with Microsoft branding on front and back.
The Microsoft brand is very likely to be used for the company's upcoming browser, currently called Spartan, which will replace Internet Explorer in Windows 10. Capossela says that the firm is still trying to figure out the right name for its browser, but with Microsoft becoming such a strong brand, don't be too surprised if the upcoming app is called “Microsoft Spartan.”