Legaspi, Von Joseph L.

Master of Business Administration

THE CASE OF INTEL

Questions
1. Discuss how Intel changed ingredient-marketing history. What did it do so well in those initial
marketing campaigns?
Since their initial launch, Intel microprocessors were known simply by their engineering
numbers. They encountered the problem of being unable to obtain a trademark for their products,
since, they distinguish each of their products by numbers.
Intel created a smart decision of reinventing and making their products easily more
distinguishable from one than the other by putting names in lieu of the numbers, they clustered
each of their products in order for the customers determine the intended use of the processor chip
they are buying.
They utilized fancy words for their family system they did, like “Atom”, “Pentium” and
“i7”. To put it in more simple terms, they were able to hit two birds with one stone and they are:
1) Unique, yet well known Brand Name
2) Trademark patent

2. Evaluate Intel’s more recent marketing efforts. Did they lose something by dropping the “Intel
Inside” tagline or not?

Intel did not lose loose anything by dropping the “Intel inside” tagline. The Intel team
abandoned such tagline and utilized a newer sub-cluster system, which made it more marketable.

Intel’s new sub-cluster system of puts “nth generation” in each of their products. (i.e. “i5
– 5th Generation”). They have marketed each of the Intel core family, along with the sub-cluster
system so well that made the users be able to distinguish what is the newer generation of
processors, which is the more expensive one.
They put so much pride and quality assurance for each of the “family “of processors, that
the consumers market for Intel themselves. (i.e. Intel i7 is the 2nd fastest of the processors in the
intel family of processors, next to i9, and when the one user is able to try or has bought the i7
core, the consumer itself, if he is very satisfied with his product, will recommend such to their
family and friends.
Legaspi, Von Joseph L.
Master of Business Administration

THE CASE OF MICROSOFT

Questions
1. Evaluate Microsoft’s strategy in good and poor economic times.
During Good times:
Microsoft did an extravagant and bold move of not being just limited to selling its main
software, Windows and Microsoft Office, which is already giving them huge profits, but it also
invested in other areas of technology.
For Software, they continuously improve their main product, Microsoft Windows and
continuously improve its user interface, making it more user-friendly. They also launched their
own browser to compete with the existing players in the market, and has obliterated the
competition by bundling it with their Main product, the Microsoft Windows.
For hardware, they launched the Xbox which is up until now, holds a good share in the
gaming industry for its own.
During Poor Economic Times:
Microsoft was somehow a failure I this segment as they were also shocked by the
recession due to their poor performance.
For Software, Windows Vista was a failure in its own as it really took a hit on
Microsoft’s good image of having a stable and minimal bug system. Some consumers even say
that the previous version of software, the Windows XP was far way better than Windows Vista
since the Windows XP was reliable and is well established for many years before it was tried to
be replace by Windows Vista.
For hardware, their entrance in the mobile phone industry was already too late. This was
admitted in an interview by Steve Balmer. It’s former CEO.
In that interview, he said it was a good idea to enter into the hardware business of
computer as well. Microsoft launched the Surface tablet and acquired Nokia, in order for their
company to be able to push for a better software, as this two components are a team in achieving
the best interface as possible.
It did not become a total failure, but, Microsoft lost a lot of assets with these two moves,
which may be one of the possible reasons why he stepped down back in 2014.

2. Discuss the pros and cons of Microsoft’s most recent “I’m a PC” campaign. Is Microsoft doing
a good thing by acknowledging Apple’s campaign in its own marketing message? Why or why
not?

No, actually, from the same interview I was able to watch, Mr. Balmer has admitted that
the company has lost the game with Apple and Android in mobile software, ranking 3 rd in the
global market. He acknowledged the fact that their entrance is late; Imitating the other company’s
strategy means you have already lost a lot of opportunities which were present back then. It may
not work already because it has already established a foundation for most users, which is also a
huge factor of consideration by a consumer when it comes to buying a product.