Jay, Craig, Mike and Thread (and Joe Consumer),
re: marketing
It's hard not to get excited about SanDisk. I have been enamored with their products since my first card purchase almost two years ago. In my estimation, the beauty of SanDisk is the synergy between the cutting-edge technology packed inside the "form and function" of some of the most exciting consumer products (CF, MMC, and SDMC) to hit the market in some time along side some of the most exciting and revolutionary consumer applications. This places SanDisk is a very unique category indeed. With the upcoming stock split I hope that there will be the possibility to get more shares in the hands of individual investors like ourselves. And then every time a digital camera, handheld PC, mp3 player or cell phone is sold there should be the potential for winning over yet another loyal SanDisk shareholder. I liken the appeal of SanDisk's product line to the cult-like following that Iomega engendered with its Zip discs, but on a much grander scale.
I thought yesterday's announcement of the creation of new position for the 2 latest VP's was a very important one. We have been asking for a marketing campaign for some time. It is a hugely important task in today's market -- that is apparent to each of us. And SanDisk is not alone here. In fact, if you look back at IBD's cover yesterday you will see that Xilinx is investing in a marketing campaign to tie in with an effort to brand their semiconductors. As I quoted earlier, branding is the frequency that the consumer homes in on, while marketing is the amplitude of the signal. Thus, establishing a foundation, the brand name, is step one. Successful marketing is an enhancement of this process. And I hope that Mr. Bo Ericsson can work some magic for SanDisk.
The beauty of SanDisk, IMHO, is the appeal to the consumer. There are not many high tech, cutting-edge semi manufacturers that produce such a useful, attractive, tangible, collectible, and irreplaceable product line like CF, MMC and SDMC. These products have form and function of their own. They are overpowering in their appeal.
XILINX IN I.B.D.
Xilinx realizes that there is a disconnect between their product and the consumer. They sense that their products (and, for that matter, their stock) will be overlooked because it is invisible to the consumer. The direct contact with the end-user is so key. This point cannot be understated. I wish to excerpt the IBD article from February 16, 2000 by James DeTar...
"XILINX TAKES AIM AT JOE CONSUMER"
Chipmaker Sheds Staid Image With New Marketing Move
Xilinx Inc. wants to shed its dowdy image. But first it has to actually get an image. Until now the chipmaker has specialized in little-noticed semiconductors called programmable logic devies. It's a tidy business, but it does little for Xilinx's visibility or the depth of its product line.
Xilinx plans to go after the consumer market in two ways. First, it's rolling out a new line of chips, called the Spartan-II, designed specifically for consumer devices. Second, Xilinx has kicked off an advertising campaign to get its name before customers in the consumer arena.
Xilinx is taking the first step toward an "Intel Inside" type of campaign. It hopes to get consumers to ask for products featuring its chips. But first it's investing the bulk of its marketing budget in Internet advertising. It recently began running banner ads on Web sites. It's also putting up traditional billboard ads at major airports around the country to attract consumer companies. Roelandts (Xilinx Chief Executive) says Xilinx is studying whether to do television ads.
I have high hopes that SanDisk will be a dominant brand name in the next 18 to 24 months. A brand that will be synonymous with futuristic, 21st century removable memory technology.
Ausdauer
(a.k.a Joe Consumer) |
