HP invests $100 m to win APAC consumers

BANGKOK: Hewlett-Packard has earmarked $ 100 million, over the next couple of quarters, as part of its marketing initiatives in the consumer segment. This was announced by Michael Hoffman, Senior Vice President, Imaging and Printing Group for Asia Pacific and Japan during the launch of the two-day media meet on HP's consumer strategy.

"HP will invest $100 million to build a lead positioning in the consumer technology market and to bring simple and rewarding consumer experience in digital technology in Asia Pacific," quoted Hoffman.


The investment to bring forth HP's consumer experience in digital technology would focus on creating a brand, retail outlets, e-marketing, strategic partnerships and most importantly after sales support.

Plans include roll out of HP `Experience Centers' in leading retail outlets across the Asia Pacific. "These centers will be a platform for the consumer to touch and feel the product he plans to buy," added Hoffman. The printing major has already 30,000 retail partners across Asia Pacific.

Apart from these the company plans strategic partnerships with major consumer electronic vendors like Nokia to extend the reach of the consumer. HP and Nokia share a partnership on mobile printing. It also plans to increase the initiatives of web reach to its consumers in the Asia Pacific. Specific plans such as increasing the registered users of its web site from the present 5.4 million, out of the total 8 million consumer installed base in Asia Pacific.

Also plans special emphasis on customized e-mail newsgrams. Newsgrams generated $2.1 million in Asia Pacific revenue and achieve savings by answering support related questions.



According to IDC world wide consumer tech spending is to tipped to touch $857 billion in 2006 from last year's (2002) $657 billion with a CAGR of 7%.