When I compiled the OpenOffice.org Strategic Marketing Plan for the Community back in 2004, I wrote on the back cover:

What do you do if you have a product that’s as good as anything on the market, but you want to give it away?

And what if your major competitor already has a virtual monopoly in the market, and spends between $5,000-$10,000 million per annum on advertising?

With cento milioni downloads this year, OpenOffice.org hasn’t done too badly against Microsoft Office, and with new releases of both products due in 2010 the battle will continue. Microsoft are clearly gearing up for the contest. One of our marketing volunteers spotted an interesting Microsoft job advert – I’ll quote from it below in case they pull the ad:

Job Category: Marketing
Location: United States, WA, Bellevue
Job ID: 700901 9914
Division: Marketing
Linux and Open Office Compete Lead, US Subsidiary (CSI Lead)

If you’re looking for a new role where you’ll focus on one of the biggest issues that is top of mind for KT and Steve B in “Compete”, build a complete left to right understanding of the subsidiary, have a large amount of executive exposure, build and manage the activities of a v-team of 13 district Linux & Open Office Compete Leads, and develop a broad set of marketing skills and report to a management team committed to development and recognized for high WHI this is the position for you!
The Commercial Software Initiative (CSI) Lead plays a pivotal role for the Subsidiary GM, the BG leads and the BMO by building a discipline within the US that is focused on competing against. The core mission of CSI is to win share against Linux and OpenOffice.org by designing and driving marketing programs, changing perceptions, engaging with Open Source communities and organizations, and drive internal readiness on how to compete with Commercial Linux and participate with Open Source Communities.

(my emphasis)

If you share our belief that several hundred marketing volunteers around the world can be more than a match for 14 hired hands in the US (and how many more worldwide?) and want to join in the fray, please join the OpenOffice.org Marketing Project and have a great 2010!

This entry was posted on Saturday, December 26th, 2009 at 5:37 pm and is filed under OpenOffice.org. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.