IBM’s Think strategy – melding strategy and branding

When operations are consolidated to simplify product lines and to gain efficiencies in practices and marketing, can the brand identities also be consolidated? This was the question that IBM PC Division marketers faced. This article explores their approach to answering it. Key factors addressed by the team tasked with this project, included: value is moving beyond just providing products to providing value that improves the customer’s business; branding and business strategy are inextricably linked; and look for opportunity out of adversity. This was the chance to meld several disparate brands into a family. Strategically this reenergized IBM in the personal computer space and enabled them to send a new message to the marketplace. Tactically this improved marketing communications efficiency because the investment supported a single message and family of offerings.