Microsoft targets Yoda and Han Solo

Microsoft's Developer and Platform Evangelism (DPE) Group recently completed an interesting market segmentation project, designed to delineate specific segments for marketing efforts. The group targets a number of technology audiences for marketing about new products that are in development and will be launched within a year or two. But who, exactly, was in the audience and was Microsoft reaching all the segments it should be targeting?

To find out, DPE worked with a research agency to identify 7 specific segments for marketing purposes. To help Microsoft's technology advocates understand audience needs, wants, attitudes and behaviour, the agency followed a Star Wars analogy to name segment personas.

• Yoda is an info technology director, a senior executive in charge of a tech centre or division
• Jedi Master is a software architect, whose job is to establish the overall design of software products
• Jedi Knight is an IT manager, experienced and proficient
• Han Solo is a software developer
• Wookie is an IT tech support person
• Obi-Wan Kenobi is a technology academic
• Younglings are students

Microsoft reinforced these segment identities with training, cardboard cutouts and visuals to help its platform advocates apply segmentation results when designing communications and engagement activities.

To engage the Han Solo segment, for instance, Microsoft created the Ubelly site, an 'unofficial blog for developers who love the web'.

The entire video describing Microsoft's DPE segmentation research and communications strategy can be found here on the Marketing Week site.