VMware is the established leader in the virtual infrastructure market. While the technology is fairly hard to understand, the benefits are clear to end users. The key challenge for AxiCom has been two-fold; firstly, to educate the market about the technology, and secondly, to showcase the benefits through successful customer implementations.
While both of these elements presented a significant challenge, it was important that they were executed sequentially. Without a solid grasp of the technology, readers could fail to properly understand the benefits that it can deliver.
Key objectives of the programme included:
- Cement VMware’s position as the virtual infrastructure market leader by driving proactive communication about VMware in local European markets
- Place virtual infrastructure at the heart of the IT director’s strategy for the future through case studies; showcasing customer stories in the press; and gathering customer support for VMware and partner activities
- Provide a single point of contact between the US and Europe for all external communications around Europe

AxiCom adopted a ‘concentric circles of influence’ approach to the VMware PR campaign. In the first 6-9 months of the campaign in each region AxiCom focused on building strong relationships for VMware with some of the key, very technical IT trade press. This approach relied on this relatively close knit community helping to educate the rest of the market.
Following a successful education programme with these key technical press, AxiCom widened the circle to include a broader range of IT trade and technical publications. Rather than trying to continually trying to sell the core virtual infrastructure message, AxiCom proactively pitched creative story ideas to press to link VMware into wider industry topics, such as on-demand computing, disaster recovery and data centre consolidation.
The final circle revolved around an aggressive case study campaign. With few direct leads coming from within VMware, the AxiCom team worked hard to uncover potential case studies through resellers and partners. Having drafted and secured approval on these customer stories, AxiCom worked on educating the broader market by coaxing these customers into speaking to vertical and business-focused publications, and to broadsheets such as the Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal Europe.
To support these activities, the team also initiated comprehensive product review and industry award programmes. Drafting successful award campaigns for such an esoteric technology is not easy, but AxiCom consistently provided thoughtful, creative and informative award entries which spoke to the judging panels and met the necessary criteria.
In terms of execution, one of the key roles that AxiCom plays for VMware is to provide a single interface between the US (corporate) and Europe. With no in-house EMEA PR manager, this role is vital to the success of the campaign and ensures clear and consistent messaging and activities. It is a very challenging role, but by balancing VMware’s targets and goals with an objective attitude to managing teams across Europe, AxiCom has ensured that results have been met, and that both parties are happy.
Aside from the central co-ordination role, the campaign focused on ensuring that while campaigns and messaging were developed centrally, they were executed with local flavour and flair. By doing this, press locally are engaged with the right messaging in the right tone and by local teams that they can build strong, lasting relationships with.

AxiCom has helped VMware become probably the hottest company in the enterprise computing market, creating a position of total perceived leadership in the market and staving off emerging competition from competitors including Microsoft.
In 2005 alone, AxiCom secured over 1900 press articles in Europe of which more than 25% were solely about VMware
In the same year we also:
- arranged more than 225 press interviews or meetings for VMware, partner and customer spokespeople
- delivered over 40 fully-approved customer case studies in 2005
- achieved 48 high quality product reviews
- achieved front page stories in every region that it covers for VMware
- co-ordinated and hosted 7 European press at VMworld 2005, VMware’s annual user conference; during the event VMware organised a roundtable with Diane Greene, VMware’s president as well as meetings with customers, partners and other VMware spokespeople
- AxiCom secured customer profile coverage in major business publications including Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal Europe