Check out this interesting article by Alex Goldfayn on Mashable on how to fix Microsoft, a company whose stock price has stagnated over the last decade . Short answer: change the company’s DNA and focus on what it’s good at.

Goldfayn seems like a smart guy, but I don’t buy his argument for a minute.

In the Age of the Platform, marketing is best done organically, from the ground up. Spending millions trying to get people to “Bing it” won’t move the needle with search.

More broadly, think about the energy of Microsoft products:

• Are you excited about Microsoft products?
• Do you use Office or Windows because you have to or because you want to?
• Do you know anyone who has switched from a Mac to a PC? I don’t.

Maybe your kids are psyched about Xbox (arguably Microsoft’s one strong consumer brand). But teenagers don’t spend as much money as adults.

Simon Says

My advice for Ballmer et. al: Make a great product. Build a great platform. Make your planks exciting. The marketing will take care of itself.

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