CMP Media Inc. to Release Comprehensive Study That Measures the Power of 24 High-tech Brands in Both the Channel and Enterprise MarketsNew Study Evaluates Brands of Leading Vendors Including Apple, Compaq, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Netscape and NovellPRNewswire CMP Media Inc. has just completed a comprehensive branding study conducted by Interbrand Schechter Inc. that brings to light with concrete data the critical need facing manufacturers to adequately and simultaneously establish strong brand programs among both channel and enterprise customers. "This research will be a valuable and actionable tool for our clients," said Jeffrey L. Strief Senior Vice President, Group Publisher of CMP's Enterprise Computing Group. "It clearly demonstrates patterns of branding effectiveness between the channel and enterprise markets." John Russell, Vice President of the company's Channel Group added that "Branding has become one of the most important competitive weapons among high tech vendors. Our research gives powerful insight into how the branding war has shifted and what it will take to win." The study, called "The Power of Simultaneous Branding," examined the U.S. brand presence of 24 major technology vendors in nine categories: desktop PCs, laptop PCs, PC servers, networking hardware, Internet/intranet server software, SQL database software, Windows application software, mid-range servers and monitors. Results of the study will be introduced to key vendors whose brands were included in the research during presentations at the NetWorld+Interop trade show in Las Vegas the week of May 5. Initial presentations will be made by CMP management including Strief, Robin Rather, Vice President, Research, of the Enterprise Computing Group, and Russell as well as senior management from Interbrand Schechter. Follow-up presentations will be made across the U.S. throughout May. During the course of the study, Interbrand Schechter and CMP conducted 2900 one-to-one, in-depth telephone interviews across a universe taken from a Dun and Bradstreet sample augmented by a channel sample provided by CMP. In the enterprise segment, interviewers spoke with senior corporate management, departmental managers and IT/networking management and staff. The channel respondents included executive management, sales management and sales staff from channel companies. "The growing recognition of the importance of brands is fueled by the understanding that product attribute based advantages are short-lived. Strong brands are also a highly cost-effective launch pad for entry into a new product category and business expansion," said Martyn Straw, President, Interbrand Schechter. "Intangible assets can represent as much as 95 percent of corporate value, and are therefore, where the real leverage is. This research will help elevate the markets' understanding of critical branding factors and leverage them," he said. Respondents in both target groups answered brand-related questions ranging from the attributes they look for in choosing a brand, the relative importance of those attributes, and the specific attributes associated with each of the 24 vendors included in the study. They were asked to cite the key elements required to establish and maintain strong brand reputations as well as the key risks associated with buying particular brands. Brand metrics include awareness, familiarity, preference, loyalty, satisfaction, and intent to purchase, among others. The 24 hardware and software vendors whose brands were evaluated are: 3COM, Acer, Ascend, Apple, Bay Networks, Cabletron, Compaq, Cisco, Computer Associates, Dell, Digital, Gateway 2000, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Informix, Lotus, Microsoft, NEC, Netscape, Novell, Oracle, SunSoft, Sybase and Toshiba. Interbrand Schechter (http://www.interbrand.com/) is one of the world's leading branding consultancies providing a comprehensive array of brand- related services to assist in the creation, enhancement and maintenance of a company's most valuable assets -- its brands. CMP Media Inc. provides publishing, marketing and information services to the broad high-technology spectrum -- the builders, sellers and users of technology -- through print and electronic media. All of CMP's publications and online products can be accessed through the company's TechWeb® site on the World Wide Web (http://www.techweb.com/). Print titles include InformationWeek, CommunicationsWeek, Network Computing, Computer Reseller News, Computer Retail Week and VARBusiness. -0- 04/11/97 SOURCE: CMP Media Inc. CONTACT: Steve Rubel, 516-562-7434 or srubel@cmp.com, or Catherine |