Avoid Pompous Branding

Today, I published a post on Corporate Eye about how Microsoft failed consumers by not meeting customer expectations for the brand with Windows Vista.  You can read my complete analysis at Corporate Eye, but here on Brandcurve, I want to take a different approach to the same topic - avoiding pompous branding.

Long story short, Microsoft had created expectations for the brand in customers’ minds.  When Windows Vista failed to meet those expectations, the brand suffered.  Microsoft’s reaction?  Check out the quotes below from the All Things Digital D6 conference in late May:

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said, “Vista’s not a failure and it’s not a mistake”.  He went on to cite the 150 million Vista licenses that Microsoft has shipped to date, but of course, he failed to mention that Microsoft Vista came preloaded on most PCs and many of those users downgraded to Windows XP after purchase.

Ballmer and Bill Gates went on to tease the audience with a bit of information about the new Windows 7, which is expected to launch in January 2010 by saying, “The goal with Windows 7 is that it will run on the same hardware as Windows Vista and that the applications and devices that work with Windows Vista will also be compatible with Windows 7. So customers will be able to fully leverage their Windows Vista investments in the future when Windows 7 ships.”

Ballmer’s quote is a classic example of the “marketing redirect” move.  In many situations, this dodge and weave tactic works very well.  However, when your product blatantly failed to meet expectations, the marketing redirect move doesn’t work.  You’re not fooling anyone, Mr. Ballmer. 

It’s better to admit your brand failed to meet expectations and assure consumers you heard what they had to say and are retooling to better meet their needs. 

However, that doesn’t seem to be what Microsoft is doing based on Ballmer’s pompous comment and the snippet of information he and Gates provided about Windows 7.  Let’s just say - if Windows 7 looks suspiciously like Windows Vista, smells suspiciously like Windows Vista, and sounds suspiciously like Windows Vista - then it is Windows Vista with a new name on it.  I’m sure there will be enhancements, but the fact that Windows 7 runs on the same hardware as Windows Vista, is compatible with Windows Vista, and allows users to fully leverage their Windows Vista investments, doesn’t seem to fix the problem.  Remember, Windows Vista did not meet customer expectations.  It doesn’t matter how great Ballmer and Gates think Windows Vista is - customers disagree.

We’ll have to wait and see if Microsoft succeeds with Windows 7, but again, admitting your mistakes and ensuring customers that your brand is here to meet their needs no matter what it takes is far more effective in the short and long terms than following a pompous branding strategy.  Remember, one of the most important parts of your brand’s strength is its promise to consumers.  Keep your promises.

Your thoughts?

Image: Flickr