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IBM’s Think strategy – melding strategy and branding

Kevin Clark (Kevin Clark and Mark McNeilly are managers in the IBM Personal Computing Division. They are responsible for marketing strategy, branding and market intelligence. In the following case study they review the lessons learned from the launching of the PC Division’s Think strategy, a project whose success they credit to the talents and efforts of IBM PCD’s executives and employees and to a number of IBM advisory groups. Clark is the author of the upcoming book Brandscendence: Three Essential Elements of Enduring Brands (Dearborn Press).)
Mark McNeilly (McNeilly is the author of Sun Tzu and the Art of Business: Six Strategic Principles for Managers (Oxford University Press).)

Strategy & Leadership

ISSN: 1087-8572

Article publication date: 1 April 2004

5719

Abstract

When operations are consolidated to simplify product lines and to gain efficiencies in practices and marketing, can the brand identities also be consolidated? This was the question that IBM PC Division marketers faced. This article explores their approach to answering it. Key factors addressed by the team tasked with this project, included: value is moving beyond just providing products to providing value that improves the customer’s business; branding and business strategy are inextricably linked; and look for opportunity out of adversity. This was the chance to meld several disparate brands into a family. Strategically this reenergized IBM in the personal computer space and enabled them to send a new message to the marketplace. Tactically this improved marketing communications efficiency because the investment supported a single message and family of offerings.

Keywords

Citation

Clark, K. and McNeilly, M. (2004), "IBM’s Think strategy – melding strategy and branding", Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 32 No. 2, pp. 44-48. https://doi.org/10.1108/10878570410525225

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2004, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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