[Mageia-dev] Identifying Target Markets

[Graham Lauder]

On Friday 01 Oct 2010 20:49:11 Oliver Burger wrote:
> Wolfgang Bornath <molch.b at googlemail.com> schrieb am 2010-10-01
> 
> > 2010/10/1 Graham Lauder <yorick_ at openoffice.org>:
> > >> The families: if the kid wants a computer then either Dad buys a new
> > >> one and the kids get the old, or they buy a new one but mom has no
> > >> say, it's either Dad or the kids because the parents don't know
> > >> anything about computers.
> > > 
> > > Nonsense, It's interesting I know quite a few German families here in
> > > NZ,
> 
> I think it's quite strange to tell someone he's talking nonsense, when his
> experience is based on linving in a country for decades and your own by
> knowing some people who migrated from there...

I was just pointing out that his small sample can be negated by my small 
sample.  If you're going to the market with a global brand then limited local 
experience doesn't tell us a lot but global research does tell us a hell of a 
lot. 

> 
> > I don't know about marketing, I've just been living here for decades
> > and been helping in the computer field for more than 15 years. I hold
> > computer courses entry level, I give advice with computer purchases in
> > families, etc. All my practical experience tells me what I've written
> > here.
> 
> I have to fully agree with Wolfgang. The mother-centrated family model may
> be true in the amer-austra-new-zealandian world (at least the soap operas
> on TV tell this) but I'm quite sure that in more conservative europe the
> story is quite different.

Conservative Europe is not the market I'm talking about, I'm talking about 
young professional parents world wide

> And: kids want their 3D-splash-them-all-games. Kids won't switch to Linux
> as long as the games industry doesn't change.

There are plenty of games on linux, but the point is that the computer isn't 
bought by the Kids it's bought *for* them.  Games come later and I show people 
the games that are on the OpenSUSE repos and they're after them and those are 
only the gratis ones.

> Moms usually will work with what they know, every change is a problem,
> since it's different from what they are used to and they have to learn
> anew.

Excuse me if I sound a little frustrated here but you could make that argument 
for any demographic, that's what marketing is about, leading people to change.  
If people never changed then you wouldn't need marketing, we would all the use 
the same thing forever. Mageia would still be Mandriva, Connectiva and 
Mandrake would be separate, there would be no need for desktop linux..... and 
come to think of it I wouldn't have a job.... given that change management is 
often part of my job description.  :)

Young families are in a demographic that embraces change if they can see that 
there is value in it for them or their family, they do it every day in myriad 
ways. 

> 
> Oliver

Cheers
GL


-- 
Graham Lauder,
OpenOffice.org MarCon (Marketing Contact) NZ
http://marketing.openoffice.org/contacts.html

OpenOffice.org Migration and training Consultant.

INGOTs Assessor Trainer
(International Grades in Open Technologies)
www.theingots.org