Microsoft unveils marketing initiative
Seattle PI | at | by Mike
Microsoft announced a $500 million marketing initiative Thursday aimed at competing with IBM for corporate spending on information technology.
In doing so, Microsoft continues on its traditional course of persuading businesses to spend money on desktop-bound software, even as rivals are emphasizing more Web-oriented applications that aren't as firmly tied to Microsoft's Windows operating system.
The $500 million, to be spent over a year to buy ads and expand its sales force, is the largest business-oriented marketing campaign ever for the company, said Jeff Raikes, president of the business division.