Microsoft vs. Google

In the second half of 2010, Google plans to launch the Google Chrome OS, an operating system designed from the ground up to run the Chrome web browser on netbooks. “It’s our attempt to re-think what operating systems should be,” Google writes on its blog. MS and Google are trading salvos. 

This is Google dropping the mother of bombs on its chief rival, Microsoft.

Chrome Vs MS: It’s a genius play. So many people are buying netbooks right now, but are running WIndows XP on them. Windows XP is 8 years old. It was built to run on Pentium IIIs and Pentium 4s. Google Chrome OS is built to run on both x86 architecture chips and ARM chips, like the ones increasingly found in netbooks. It is also working with multiple OEMs to get the new OS up and running next year.

This Chrome OS will be lightweight and fast just like the browser itself. But also just like the browser, it will be open-sourced. Think Microsoft will be open-sourcing Windows anytime soon?

Google Inc's bid to compete with Microsoft Corp's Windows operating system may help lower the cost of personal computers at a time when prices are already being pinched by inexpensive netbooks.

Although Windows is the dominant operating system -- installed on 90 percent of the world's PCs, Microsoft won't take Google's challenge lightly. There is a wild card in all of this still for Microsoft: Windows 7. While Windows XP is 8 years old, and Windows Vista is just generally considered to be a bad OS for net books, Windows 7 could offer a good netbook experience. Analysts said. Its new Windows 7 operating system will be available in October. "Microsoft's strategy is likely to be to compete on price".

Chrome is a shot across the MS bow, but Bing is a shot across Google's bow.

MS Bing Vs Google: Microsoft’s search engine officially has a new name, Bing. The name, along with some new features, opens the latest chapter in Microsoft’s quest to best Google in the search engine wars.

Can’t Google it? Microsoft will help you Bing it.

Microsoft is calling Bing a “decision engine” because it refines results more carefully and offers topics of related interest. It will recognize your search terms and offer refinements in a menu on the left. For example, enter “Star Trek” and it will offer the top results plus links to images, cast details, wallpapers, the theme tune, DVDs and episode guides. Whilst Google offers a list of 92 million links, Bing only has 52 million results but could offer more appropriate materials and related search terms.

So now you’re probably thinking will I start using Bing instead of Google?

Brand loyalty is a powerful thing, especially when it comes to technology. Consider the battle brewing now between Google and Microsoft’s new search engine, Bing. Even if Bing proves to be just as good as Google, it might not matter because of the strength of Google’s brand. An independent usability and consumer preference study, which we’ve obtained.

Coming to the main feature, Bing does provide a detailed search result with mouse over the links on the search result. Bing also provides the features of Video and Image searching but have to wait and see how accurate it is when compared to Google.
According to experts review, Bing is a robust search engine. Are you thinking of whether Bing will replace Google in future? Well wait for few months and see if your neighbors, friends are using Bing , if so then it has already replaced Gogle.

See also the companion pieces to this article:

Will you Bing it or Google it

Google new search tool - Goole squared

Google, the brand has never advertised on TV

New technologies in two wheeler vehicles survey questionnaire

Right now, We are trying to study the Indian two wheeler industry for our MBA project. For this we have prepared a questionnaire. the purpose of this survey is to find out whether people are ready to accept new technologies in two wheeler vehicles, what new technologies do they expect in near future in their vehicles and how much extra money they are ready to pay for these new technologies. 

We would appreciate you taking a few minutes of your time to complete this Questionnaire to help us assess our project.We assure that the answers will be kept strictly confidential. This information will only be used for the purpose of our study. To fill the questionnaire please click the link given below

New technologies in 2 wheelers survey questionnaire

https://new.qualtrics.com/SE/SID=SV_0xMUNT01rKj6MGU&SVID=Prod&Preview=Survey&BrandID=qtrial

Digital Marketing

Digital Marketing is the promotion of brands using the Internet, mobile and other interactive channels.

Digital Marketing is the practice of promoting products and services using digital distribution channels to reach consumers in a timely, relevant, personal and cost-effective manner.

Digital marketing is a term that has been around for quite awhile but hasn’t been very well defined, encompassing things like banner advertising, search engine optimization (SEO) and pay per click. Yet, this is too narrow of a definition. What about email, RSS, voice broadcast, fax broadcast, blogging, podcasting, video streams, wireless text messaging, and instant messaging?

It does not include more traditional forms of marketing such as radio, TV, billboard and print because they do not offer instant feedback and report. At its heart, digital marketing centers around the Internet, which has become both a communication vehicle and a very powerful marketing medium.

The Internet can be used both to push a message to someone like email, IM, RSS, or voice broadcast, as well to “pull” content serving a banner ad and Pay Per Click search terms. Digital marketing, therefore, can be thought of as the combination of push and pull Internet technologies to execute marketing campaigns.

While digital marketing is effective when using one message type, it is much more successful when a marketer combines multiple channels in the message campaigns. For example, if a company is trying to promote a new product release, they could send out an email message or text campaign individually. This, if properly executed, could yield positive results. However, this same campaign could be exponentially improved if multiple message types are implemented.

Companies employing digital marketing tactics are actively working to ensure their customers are getting the best and most relevant information that they need to make purchases. Companies world-wide are cutting costs as well as looking for creative, high impact and accountable marketing.

Following are the top ten tactics of digital marketing resulted from a survey conducted by Online Marketing Blog :

• Blogging (34%)
• Microblogging (Twitter) (29%)
• Search engine optimization (28%)
• Social network participation (Facebook, LinkedIn) (26%)
• Email marketing (17%)
• Social media monitoring & outreach (17%)
• Pay per click (14%)
• Blogger relations (12%)
• Video marketing (10%)
• Social media advertising (7%)

Each digital marketing technology is different and they cannot all provide the same types of reports. Also, digital marketing is constantly evolving and new technologies are being created all of the time.

More to read : Viral Marketing

Brand Equity most trusted brand survey 2009

What is a brand? Is it a symbol or name or what is it? Simply, “ A Brand is a Promise”. A name, signs and symbols are part of what a brand is. Trust is as fragile as it is precious and a brand is always fight to retain the trust of customer. A Brand need to earn trust everyday.  Economic Times Bureau – Brand Equity unveils the most comprehensive article of faith in the Indian brand world and the most unique listing of its kind, Brand Equity Most Trusted Brands 2009, in a glittering event held in Mumbai.

This independent nationwide survey conducted for Brand Equity by

 Nielsen is the benchmark for Trust, an ageless virtue and the ultimate pinnacle that every marketer and every brand wants to achieve. And this, the single-biggest study of its kind, has now become the gold standard for the entire marketing and advertising fraternity.

Nokia top list of India most trusted brand. Hindustan Lever is another big winner, with three brands in the top twenty.

A clear indication that today the Brand Equity MTB Survey is the one study that marketers put their faith in. In this, the sixth year of the MTB survey, there are two new entrants into the top 10. Coming in at No. 6 is one of the oldest brands in India, Horlicks.

Reliance Mobile which is the star of this year's edition, considering that it had failed to crack the top 20 in 2008. Telecom, as a category, is clearly on the ascendant. Airtel, BSNL and Vodafone have all surged up the charts to finish in the top 30, ranking 12, 19 and 30, respectively.

Hindustan Unilever, as has always been the case, continues to dominate the overall rankings with three brands (Lifebuoy, Lux and Pepsodent) in the top 10 and seven in the top 20. 

Rank 1: Nokia

• Advertising Agency: JWT/W+K
• About the brand: Nokia has established itself as the market and brand leader in the mobile devices market in India. The company has built a diverse product portfolio to meet the needs of different consumer segments and therefore offers devices across five categories ie. Entry, Live, Connect, Explore and Achieve.  ( www.nokia.co.in)

Rank 2: Colgate

• Advertising Agency: Ridiffusion YR
• About the brand: From a modest start in 1937, when hand-carts were used to distribute Colgate Dental Cream, Colgate-Palmolive (India) today has one of the widest distribution networks in India, a logistical marvel that spans around 4.5 million retail outlets across the country, of which the Company services 1.5 million outlets directly. The company dominates the Rs 2400 crore Indian toothpaste market by commanding close to 50% of the market share. Colgate was ranked as India’s Most Trusted Brand across all categories by Brand Equity’s Most Trusted Brand Survey for four consecutive years from 2003 to 2007. ( www.colgate.co.in)

Rank 3: Lux

• Advertising Agency: JWT
• Company: Hindustan Unilever Ltd
• About the brand: Lux stands for the promise of beauty and glamour as one of India's most trusted personal care brands. Since 1929, Lux in step with the changing trends and evolving beauty needs of the consumers, offers an exciting range of soaps and Body Washes with unique elements to make bathing time more pleasurable. (www.hul.co.in)

Rank 4: Lifebuoy

• Advertising Agency: Lowe
• Company: Hindustan Unilever Ltd
• About the brand: Launched in 1895, Lifebuoy, for over 100 years, has been synonymous with health and value. The relaunch of the soap in 2002, 2004 & again in 2006 have been turning points in its history. It is now in a superior formulation offering a new health fragrance and a contemporary shape. It’s vision is, “Making a billion Indians feel safe and secure by meeting all their health and hygiene needs”. ( www.hul.co.in)

Rank 5: Dettol

• Advertising Agency: Euro RSCG
• About the brand: Dettol is the gold standard of effective germ kill recommended by medical experts and healthcare professionals for its proven ability to protect families from germs. The brand remains up to date through the launch of new products relevant to changing lifestyles such as hand sanitizer, liquid hand wash, shower gel, all purpose cleaners, and antibacterial wipes. (Content: ET Bureau & www.reckittbenckiser.com)

Rank 6: Horlicks

• Advertising Agency: JWT
• Company: GlaxoSmithKline
• About the brand: Horlicks is the leading health food drink in India and enjoys more than half of the health food drink market. Although it has been a popular brand in Indian market since 1930s, Horlicks underwent a revamp in 2003 to further increase its relevance.  It is a favourite with both mothers for its nourishment and kids for its great taste and variety. ( www.gsk-ch.in)

Rank 7: Tata Salt

• Advertising Agency: Leo Burnett
• Company: Tata Group
• About the brand: Tata Salt pioneered the branded salt movement in India in 1983. It was the first salt in India to be manufactured using vacuum evaporation technology. The desh ka namak (salt of the nation) advertising campaign lent voice to the emotional connect and warmth that people associate with salt. It earned for itself the epithet of desh ka namak and the trust of consumers across the country. Today the brand is seen as reliable and trustworthy and promoting the health of customers. Its appeal cuts across regions and it has become an integral component of a majority of Indian kitchens. ( www.tata.com)
  

Rank 8: Pepsodent

• Advertising Agency: Lowe
• About the brand: Pepsodent, launched in 1993, was the first toothpaste with a unique anti-bacterial agent to address the consumer need of checking germs even hours after brushing. Pepsodent packs included a Germ Indicator in February-May 2002, which allowed consumers to see the efficacy in fighting germs for themselves. As a follow-up, in October 2002, Pepsodent offered Dental Insurance to all its consumers to demonstrate the confidence the company has in the technical superiority of the product.The relaunch campaign in October 2003 widened the context to "sweet and sticky" food and leveraged the truth that children do not rinse their mouths every time they eat, demonstrating that this makes their teeth vulnerable to germ attack. Pepsodent's most recent campaign aims at educating consumers on the need for germ protection through the night. ( www.hul.co.in)

Rank 9: Britannia

• Advertising Agency: Lowe/McCann Erickson
• About the brand: Britannia strode into the 21st century as one of India's biggest brands and the pre-eminent food brand of the country. It was equally recognised for its innovative approach to products and marketing: the Lagaan Match was voted India's most successful promotional activity of the year 2001 while the delicious Britannia 50-50 Maska-Chaska became India's most successful product launch. In 2002, Britannia's New Business Division formed a joint venture with Fonterra, the world's second largest Dairy Company, and Britannia New Zealand Foods Pvt Ltd was born. In recognition of its vision and accelerating graph, Forbes Global rated Britannia 'One amongst the Top 200 Small Companies of the World', and The Economic Times pegged Britannia India's 2nd Most Trusted Brand. (Content: www.britannia.co.in)

Rank 10: Reliance Mobile

• Advertising Agency: Cartwheel Creative
• Company: Reliance Communications
• About the brand: Reliance Mobile (formerly Reliance India Mobile), launched on 28 December 2002, coinciding with the joyous occasion of the late Dhirubhai Ambani’s 70th birthday, was among the initial initiatives of Reliance Communications.  Reliance Communications is the flagship company of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) of companies. Listed on the National Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange, it is India’s leading integrated telecommunication company with over 80 million customers. ( www.rcom.co.in)

11) Close-Up 12) Airtel

13) State Bank of India 14) Glucon D

15) Clinic Plus 16) Pond's

17) LIC 18) Fair & Lovely

19) BSNL 20)LG

More

The Brand Equity MTB survey is the largest, most diverse and most prestigious survey of its kind, with over 8,160 respondents nation-wide and is conducted by The Nielsen Company on behalf of Brand Equity. 300 brands are evaluated and the samples consist of chief wages earners, housewivies, young adult male and females

Tissue Pack Marketing

One of the more clever concepts in awareness marketing in Japan is starting to get attention in the United States, advertising on the front of small packs of tissues. Tissue-pack marketing is a type of guerrilla marketing. Companies hire agencies to distribute small tissue packages with advertisements inserted in them. These tissue packs are then handed out at crowded city areas to various types of passersby. Some target only men or women, depending on the product/service advertised.

Advertising agencies have stuck logos on just about everything imaginable, but how many times in the winter do you wish you had a small packet of tissues handy to take care of a runny nose?

This concept creates an authentic value exchange with the customer – the advertising is giving something to the customer and in return the customer has the option of reading the advertisement, possibly many times. According to an article in Japan Times, over four billion tissue packs are handed out in Japan every year.

An internet survey of over 100,000 consumers show that 76% will accept the tissue packs, with over 50% saying that they’ll definitely look at the ad. One possible reason for this increased statistic when compared to fliers is that consumers were hoping to find coupons or special offers packaged inside with the tissues. In terms of appeal, tissue packs are more welcome than flyers and are more likely to be retained by the recipent.

The concept of tissue-pack marketing was first developed in Japan. Its origins date back to the late 1960s when Hiroshi Mori, the founder of a paper-goods manufacturer in Kochi Prefecture called Meisei Industrial Co., was looking for ways to expand demand for paper products. At the time, the most common marketing freebie in Japan was boxes of matches. These were often given away at banks and then used by women in the kitchen.

Mori figured tissues would have even wider appeal than the matches, and as a result he developed the machinery to fold and package tissues into easy-to-carry, pocket-size packs. The new product was marketed only as a form of advertising and was not sold to consumers.

Where the more traditional flyers are often discarded without being read or simply not accepted by the consumer, the same is not true of advertising tissue-packs. The most important reason for this is because the tissues add functionality to the advertisement. This functionality has several benefits:

1. It is more than an ad. It is useful to the recipient. Bundled value asset (tissue paper) facilitates initial acceptance of ad message. It may also increase overall retention.
2. It is persistent. The message usually stays with the consumer for the lifespan of the pack: there is continual and repeated exposure over a period of time.

Japan is still the main market for tissue-pack advertising, but the practice has begun to spread overseas. In the United States, a subsidiary of the Japanese trading company Itochu, Adpackusa.com, introduced tissue-pack marketing in New York in 2005 and now offers it throughout the country.

A tissue pack isn’t the only asset you can use. The basic strategy is to tag a marketing message to a portable functionality that extends its lifespan and value.

More to Read : Guerrilla Marketing