Marketing (was Re: Ubuntu's success)

[Jenda Vancura]

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Jonathan Jesse wrote:

> On Tuesday 25 April 2006 13:00, Matthew East wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 2006-04-25 at 18:38 +0200, Jenda Vancura wrote:
>>
>>> Rocco Stanzione wrote:
>>>
>>>> I just wanted to say that it makes my day to see new Linux
>>>> users reliably treated with respect, and even more to see the
>>>> CoC enforced when they are not. And on that note, I think we
>>>> could make great strides toward closing Malone bug #1 if we
>>>> were to make it more of a selling point in our marketing
>>>> efforts. If a third of the new users who say "screw this,
>>>> I'm going back to Windows" have legitimate technical
>>>> frustrations, a third are just being jerks and a third are
>>>> fed up with the treatment they get when they seek help, I
>>>> think we can win a lot more users by wooing them with respect
>>>> and letting them know in advance that we intend to.
>>>
>>> Oh no!!! Close Bug #1? That would be the death of the Marketing
>>> Team! (point noted though - personally, this is what made
>>> Ubuntu my distro of choice)
>>
>> It's time to ask: what does the marketing team do? I think it
>> would be great if the wider Ubuntu community heard more about
>> this mysterious team and what it does. It might encourage wider
>> contribution. Don't forget: most people are scared of the word
>> "marketing", so let's hear more about this area of the Ubuntu
>> community!
>>
>> Matt
>
>
> I agree, does the marketing team provide materials if i need to
> speak at a usergroup or anything? How do I find out what is done
> marketing wise? Does the marketing team cover Kubuntu as well?
>
> Jonathan
>
    Thanks for the question! In fact, it comes at a very good time.
Now, I am by no means the leader of the Marketing Team, but i have
been very active in it for the past 20 days or so, and this letter is
just about the last time I can afford to give it until after exams
(June 22). Please excuse my 'hurriedness'.
    First - who am I: I'm a member of the Marketing Team since last
year, moderately active at the time, a member of teh ubuntuforums, not
too active anymore, easyubuntu contributor (not code - ideas, support
and documentation), most active on IRC (#ubuntu, #ubuntupeople,
#ubuntu-marketing - the latter two are "mine" (I claim no ownership,
of course), one redirects to the other - i used to run #help). Where I
come into play is April 6 2006 when I decided that the MT needs a
revival, because there has been no activity for 4 months or so (in
fact, I believe what made me move was a person from India who came to
the forum and asked for help starting Ubuntu seminars at his
university - I remember thinking "Damn, that's what the MT is for, and
yet, we have nothing to offer").
    I think it is a very important team that should help make
spreading Ubuntu easier for anyone who wishes to engage in such an
activity locally, and should also have global direct spreading
projects (such as spreadubuntu, ubuntu magazine).
Now, once again, before 6 April, there was no activity whatsoever, and
all the former members were busy and paid no attention to
www.ubuntupeople.com anymore so I took the following steps to Market
Marketing:
- - short ads on IRC (#ubuntu, -offtopic, #ubuntuforums)
- - this post on the forums:
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=156698 (kudos to
darkmatter for the sticky)
- - I must've forgotten the mailing lists... or did I?
- - I addressed a few people personally for them to join/return to the
Marketing Team (the leader: Lloyd Hardy, ompaul, paulvg, coz, Matt
Harwood)
We have gained some 30 i believe since then, and the traffic has risen
dramatically.

    Now, as is evident from this 'history' - the Team is in its new
beginnings and is attempting to get few projects going first so as to
have something to rally around. Our project which is closest to
completion is SpreadUbuntu. The Team basically has no products yet,
save perhaps these stickers:
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=161472
    The full scope of what the Marketing Team _should_ be doing is at
wiki.ubuntu.com/MarketingTeam - as written by Lloyd Hardy a looong
time ago. What my short term goal was was filling up the manpower
needed to get something going - that is partly accomplished now and i
_have_ to "leave" for over a month (as in, not be able to give it much
thought and time). What is needed is to organise the people (ald and
new alike) in the team to start systematically working on the projects
(Spreadubuntu is moving, for sure, ubuntumagazine might start have
some momentum as well - and DIY Marketing, my main interest, is on the
run as well, I think)...

Umm... I'm very unconcentrated now, as my head is full of studies, so
if I left anything out (and i'm sure I did), please DO ask. At least
you now know who I am ;-)

Jenda
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