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Microsoft Financial Services

Why does Microsoft even need more PR, one might ask? The truth is that the world's largest technology company, and international business bellwether, has challenges unlocking the secrets of its vertical market expertise. Known the world over, in every business and in nearly every home, Microsoft is synonymous with computing. What it lacks is the same reputation – especially for its back-office technologies – among capital markets firms, insurance companies and banking institutions.

That is why Microsoft tapped Ruder Finn to help the company find proactive and creative opportunities to marry its worldclass technologies, growing partner network and bevvy of horizontal-focused customer success stories, to grow credibility and steal financial services mindshare and marketshare from its main enemy, IBM.

 

 

OBJECTIVES

• Grow Microsoft's credibility among financial services firms
• Give meaningful vertical value proposition to company's unparalleled technology heritage and People_Ready™ vision
• Utilize partner sales channel

PROGRAM

• The U.S. and worldwide financial services PR teams work in tandem to ensure all messaging is relevant to the People_Ready campaign; gets communicated by the proper spokespeople; and, marries business needs like profitability and compliance with Microsoft soluitions and customer examples.
• The centerpiece of the Microsoft program is designed to build credibility. This is accomplished through media and industry analyst relations. The team works daily to include Microsoft's executives and customers in mainline trades like American Banker, Wall Street & Technology, Insurance Networking News and Securities Industry News.
• The team also tailors major company announcements, like high-performance computing and the pending launch of Windows Vista, with financial service messages to gain traction in business media.

RESULTS

• Clearer differentiation between Microsoft and its competitors
• Media coverage in all major trades to date, and top tier business including Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal and AP
• Executive profile in American Banker, and special report section in IDC/Financial Insights annual banking survey
• Greater participation of customers and partners in PR program