According to a report from Thurrott citing an anonymous tipster, Microsoft may be rethinking how it approaches potential business customers with its Lumia lineup. The source of the information comes in the form of two lengthy documents describing in great detail what is named the “Microsoft Lumia with Windows 10 Trial”. One document is described as a “premium packaging concept development” targeting “decision-makers in organizations with large handset opportunities. The other document claims to be a “mid-range concept development” aimed at “decision makers in small and medium-sized businesses.” Basic arithmetic suggests that these memos outline a strategy to sink Microsoft’s hands further into business and enterprise pockets.
This strategy comes in the form of specially designed packaging that will:
- Protect the devices while in transit
- Showcase the devices in their best light
- Reinforce the idea that Microsoft Lumia devices are the best choice for business
- Show off how easy the devices are to set up, integrate, and deploy
This is achieved through a premium briefcase-styled travel bag designed specifically to hold Lumia devices as well as a Surface Pro tablet.
The bag features a black leather exterior featuring tasteful Microsoft logo and a sharp blue interior with removable compartments. The blue interior is rather interesting, as a recent leak of the Lumia 950 series of devices show off devices featuring a strikingly similar blue color. Couple this with a rendering leak showing off an alleged Lumia 550 “Saimaa” in yet another similar blue color. According to Thurrott’s report, the interior blue lining symbolizes a “Your business. Mobile” color.
Cheesy marketing concept aside, it’s curious why the upcoming generation of alleged Lumia devices seems so fixated on the color blue, especially when Lumia devices have historically been known for sporting bold, vibrant colors. I argue that this latest marketing scheme further enhances the idea that the string of blue colors is no coincidence.
The documents further go on to detail mid-range packaging comprised of uniform, stackable boxes carrying Lumia devices. These boxes also have some manner of blue accenting.
According to a quote within the documents:
“The top layer of each box will contain the welcome letter and support materials to get the trialist quickly up and running. The layers underneath will hold the devices, boxed in their existing packaging to reduce fulfillment time and further protect the devices. The device boxes sit within a blue case, which reflects the ‘Windows 10 brand guidance and mirror the ‘Your Business. Mobile’ theme.”
The boxes may also be finished with glossy, metallic Microsoft logos to create a sharper, more premium aesthetic.
One thing that goes against the credibility of these documents is that they are laden with typos and grammatical errors. Such inconsistencies are typically unbecoming of a professional organization. However, if these documents were meant to be consumed only internally and informally within a department’s executives, that could be a plausible explanation for why the writing is so sloppy. They also appear to be written in UK English, if that holds any weight.
I am not entirely sure what to make of this effort. While it appears to be a delicate marketing scheme by Microsoft, surely the sexy bag and stacking stacks don’t come cheap. I question why any decision maker in an organization would choose to spend extra money on such garnish. But, Microsoft has been on a tear recently with their business and enterprise offerings, especially with the latest launch of the Office 2016 and other upcoming business-oriented services. The company seems to know what it’s doing in this field.
Maybe this is just the next step in a holistic marketing approach. Or these documents are false, and we just got taken for a ride.
