Staying basic; IBM's recipe for success: Marketing principles, and message that clicks with audience.(Brief Article)

Advertising Age, October, 2001 by D'Ambrosio, Lou

The key to building and marketing a strong brand is no longer tied to just hard-sell advertising but to a subtle message that resonates with the target audience.

Last year, my marketing team was faced with launching a major marketing and advertising initiative around IBM Software Group's four software brands. We began by seeing the campaign through the eyes of our customers-developers, product specialists and other IT professionals making the software-buying decisions.

That wasn't easy, especially when an ad mockup featuring two futuristic programmers in space suits was dropped on my desk one afternoon last winter. The story line revolved around two visitors-``codernauts''-who had come to Earth looking for better software. Executives here were puzzled...

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