iSeries marketing -- MIDRANGE-L

All:

As I said in the "e-server/i-series" thread, I wrote several letters to Mr.
Gerstner politely stating the need for stronger AS/400 (iSeries)
advertising.  I received a reply from Ms. Lauren P. Flaherty this past
weekend.  Before you get the idea she is some lackey of Mr. Gerstner -- Ms.
Flaherty is the Vice President in charge of all marketing for all of IBM's
servers.  She reports to Ms. Abby F. Kohnstamm, who is Senior Vice President
in charge of all of IBM's marketing.  Ms. Kohnstamm is one of the 11 people
on the Corporate Executive Council which advises Mr. Gerstner.  (This
committee includes Sam Palmisano and John M. Thompson.)

So I think it is amazing that Ms. Flaherty would have her staff take the
time to put together a reply, in view of all the activity around her
re-branding of the (e)Servers.  Her reply was a brief, one-page, letter
which had much of what you would expect (i.e. "blah, blah, blah" <g>).

But there was one statement that I thought was very interesting, which was:
"Our market studies reveal that the AS/400e image needs to be positioned
more centrally as part of IBM's vision for the future, namely, e-business."

I didn't know for sure how to take this statement.  She could be saying
these things because she knows that�s what I want to hear.  I haven't ruled
that out.

Perhaps optimistically, I took "more centrally" to mean IBM intends to
feature the iSeries more prominently.  Then Drew Flaada, Director of Product
Marketing and Management, had a teleconference this evening about the
announcements.  One of the things he said was that the 400 is going to be
"prominently featured" in advertising.

So this is JMHO:

An idea has been floated about putting together an ad to show, basically,
how dissatisfied the community is with IBM's "inept" marketing of the
iSeries.  The important fact to keep in mind is that it doesn't matter at
all whether IBM's marketing is--or is not--inept.  Even if IBM Marketing has
done an unbelievably poor job, putting out an ad like this will backfire.
Ms. Flaherty can turn on the spigot for iSeries marketing, and she can turn
it off just as easily.  So even if the intentions are good, this ad won't
get the results that are hoped for.

I personally believe that IBM intends to make a good-faith effort to improve
the marketing for the iSeries.  But even if I'm 100% wrong, the proposed ad
still shouldn't be put together.  The more I think about it, the more I'm
convinced it's almost certain to get the exact opposite results than what
we're looking for.  ICBW, but I don't see how it would be possible humiliate
or coerce IBM to change their marketing strategy.  There may be some
satisfaction from venting (especially in such a spectacular way).  But that
will be a pretty hollow accomplishment, if it backfires as I believe it
inevitably will.  I think all this should be considered, especially with
Common coming up soon.

During the Q & A at the end of the teleconference, there was discussion
about the importance of advertising the outstanding features of the iSeries.
There was talk that IBM needs to "take off the kid gloves".  I think _many_
people in IBM are very aware of the state of 400 marketing.  So why spend
the effort beating them over the head with it?

IMO these efforts would be more effective if applied towards encouraging IBM
to follow through on these plans to "positioning the iSeries more centrally"
and "prominently feature" it.

I can't say I know how to do that.  So if anyone out there thinks there is
something constructive that can be done, I'd sure like to hear about it.

jt

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