Microsoft's Strategy for Small Businesses (A): The Innovative PR Campaign for MS Office Accounting 2007
This case is about the innovative public relations campaign initiated by Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft) for its MS Office Accounting Express software - MS Office Accounting Express 2007 (OAE 2007) and MS Office Accounting Professional 2007 (OAP 2007), which were targeted at small and medium businesses (SMBs).
As part of its pull strategy, Microsoft organized a contest called 'IdeaWins - The Ultimate Challenge' targeted at entrepreneurs and small business owners in the US
The winner of the campaign would receive a US$100,000 cash prize as start-up capital and other related support from Microsoft and its partners to implement the winning business idea. Microsoft also gave away OAE 2007 as a free download on the IdeaWins.com website. The campaign generated a lot of buzz among the target audience and succeeded in the publicity of OAE 2007 and OAP 2007.
The accounting software market for SMBs as well as the competitive landscape in this segment as well the reasons for Microsoft's strategic shift toward providing Internet-based software and services and its growing competition with Internet-based firms such as Google, Inc., and Yahoo!, Inc.
QUESTONS:-
1. Explain and appreciate the role of PR campaigns in creating credibility for the launch of a new product.
2. Do the SWOT Analysis of the case study.