It's interesting to compare the marketing strategy between the two companies isn't it. All of Autodesks websites and products all have this 'sheen' of professionalism. Whilst Graphisoft/Nemetschek would appear to let the product speak for itself.
It seems every single one of Autodesks employees, consultants, resellers and their mothers all have blogs promoting and praising the software, whilst there isn't a single 'official' GS ArchiCAD blog out there, and barely a handful of unoffical ones!
It's no suprise when you look at how much each company spends each year on marketing alone; in 2008 Nemetschek spent just under 8 million dollars, while Autodesk spent
! If you crudely compare the amount spent marketing to their net revenue, Nemetschek spent approx 5%, whilst Autodesk spent 40% of their revenue!
It's amazing any company can compete, let alone GS/Nemetscheks with their rather lower-key marketing effort.
Marketing and image seem to be Autodesks priority, but judging from the trouble the unwanted interface redesign has caused, it seems that no matter how much money you throw at something, it can still go wrong! Maybe there is still a market out there for providing a product just works, and works beautifully, without having to tart it up with unnecessary bling and complexity!
(The source for the figures are here and here, if you're interested!)
It seems every single one of Autodesks employees, consultants, resellers and their mothers all have blogs promoting and praising the software, whilst there isn't a single 'official' GS ArchiCAD blog out there, and barely a handful of unoffical ones!
It's no suprise when you look at how much each company spends each year on marketing alone; in 2008 Nemetschek spent just under 8 million dollars, while Autodesk spent
! If you crudely compare the amount spent marketing to their net revenue, Nemetschek spent approx 5%, whilst Autodesk spent 40% of their revenue!It's amazing any company can compete, let alone GS/Nemetscheks with their rather lower-key marketing effort.
Marketing and image seem to be Autodesks priority, but judging from the trouble the unwanted interface redesign has caused, it seems that no matter how much money you throw at something, it can still go wrong! Maybe there is still a market out there for providing a product just works, and works beautifully, without having to tart it up with unnecessary bling and complexity!
(The source for the figures are here and here, if you're interested!)
Peter wrote:These gold-diggers make money on peoples ignorance. It's a self feeding mechanism. For example we have opportunity seekers creating "BIM-objects" as a "way to enhance the super product" blabla while it's in reality is a really poor localization creating the need for really basic objects (and the home brewn stuff is not BIM... it's not IFC nor working internally for quantity take offs etc). It must be every sales persons dream to have a huge customer base that never questions anything. Our customers are very demanding because they've been there for several years.
It seems every single one of Autodesks employees, consultants, resellers and their mothers all have blogs promoting and praising the software, whilst there isn't a single 'official' GS ArchiCAD blog out there, and barely a handful of unoffical ones!
Peter wrote:Indeed! IMO AC is that tool since long ago even if there are some things that could be greatly improved/implemented. Software is organic, it never stops developing.
Maybe there is still a market out there for providing a product just works, and works beautifully, without having to tart it up with unnecessary bling and complexity!
Equally important as the software itself is the localization. Without it any software it is pretty cumbersome to get going in speed and style.
Mats
Still looking?
