Hello Peter, * <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> I know the voting for the OpenOffice slogan is closed, but I would > like the marketing team to consider reopening it. I kept it open three times - do you have an idea when I should close it? Up to now 18 people did join the voting - you didn't. I don't mind keeping it open for another few days, but I don't think, that there will be more interest in it than before. > For one reason: > positioning. It is my opinion that a slogan should create in the > reader's mind an idea of some sort. This idea will persuade them or > assist them in decision making and form an attitude both before and > after an action or thought (purchase, support for a cause, agreement, > etc.). I'm quite sure, all of us did think of this point when we made our decisions. I asked for discussions - but most of the people just gave their points to one or another vote. So I assume, that the different slogans spoke for themselves. Just a few people told their opinion about some of the slogans/positioners: Mark Harrison did drop a few lines about some types of positioners: "Upgrade" - they could become incorrect when MS would launch an OASIS filter "hackers" - in the mainstream wrong (negative) meaning "code contribution" - no need to go for the programmers - they know about OOo Some others told why they prefer a slightly modified positioner, but there was no discussion among different opinions. Now it's you to come - quite late, but perhaps here will start some type of discussion: > With all the slogans that I've seen so far, I do not think they > target the wide audience that OpenOffice is intended to serve > effectively enough to garner my vote. You could have added your proposal a few days or weeks ago. If you do it now I doubt, if the people will change their mind (but why not, if they want to). > The numbers of people already using OpenOffice at home are growing > and I think this is what will ultimately push* and pull* OpenOffice > into the business, education, and government offices. I don't think, that using OOo at home is the main reason for "professional" users to switch from MSO to OOo. There are just a few people in every company to decide about things like this. Their reasons for or against a product include - cost (for the product itself, licenses, training and maintenance) - stability and usability in the future - interoperability with other companies (I'm sure I forgot some important points, but here are enough business people to add them...) To convince these people that OpenOffice.org is *not only* a product for home and educational users is a major task in OOo marketing. Their idea of open software being buggy and inconvenient to use (pre-beta state, unfinished features because of lack of programmers) should be changed by some of the proposals - and one of them was given some points by more than 70% of the people joining the voting. > By having a slogan that > leaves out the home and education user (students & teachers) by > omission, it gives the implication that OpenOffice may not be as > useful for those purposes as we know it to be. My personal opinion is, that they do know about OpenOffice.org - or can be reached much easier than the "business"-users. If you ask a student: "Do you want to get an office suite for free, that can be used in large companies as well?", you will certainly don't get a "No". > [... Thoughts on Microsoft strategy with slightly different editions > for very different charge ...] I think it vitally important that > OpenOffice not omit any of these audiences in it's marketing mix. I > think the OpenOffice community can position OpenOffice as the suite > for all of these target audiences with one slogan. Something on the > order of "OpenOffice: For Business, Education, & Home...It's all you > need!" As positioner I think it to be a bit too long - but even "Open - for business, school and home" is less catchy than "Open. For business." - and sounds less professoinal, IMHO a major point for business people. > [...] > We can discuss it further - but I don't see a chance to adress *all* user groups with the positioner (even if this would be the optimum) in the moment. I don't want to neglect the "professionalism" part of the marketing strategy - but perhaps you and /or someone else may help us with the "ultimative" slogan. - address "business people", large companies and governmental administrations - home and educational users - small and medium companies - programmers and other possible supporters - tell that we are an international community - with lots of different contributors and localizations - that OpenOffice.org supports OASIS ODF - that it is free to use, distribute and modify - that it is (in many parts) equal to or even better tham MS Office. OpenOffice.org is too widespread to find a slogan dealing with all of it's different targets - so I hoped to get one out of this voting that many of the marketing experienced people here think to be good for OOo. Best regards Bernhard --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
