Opera’s branding

Feature vs. feature comparisons are fun reading for tech-heads like myself, but broader factors (such as brand identity) play strongly into the average user’s choice of browser. I think Firefox’s brand identity is currently more compelling than that of Opera’s, at least in the United States, giving Firefox an advantage that cannot be ignored by Opera advocates. Brand image is not everything, but it is certainly not insignificant. The people in charge of marketing at Opera are aware of this, and I applaud the positive things they’ve done, most notably the way they’ve expanded «My Opera Community». There is significant room for improvement, however. The big question that Opera needs to address is this: «When people think about the Opera browser, what distinguishing characteristics come immediately to mind?»

Imagine that I’m about to ditch Internet Explorer in favor of an alternative browser. After reading an article here and there and looking briefly at Opera’s website, here’s what I might think about Opera:

1. It’s a well-reviewed alternative to Internet Explorer with cool new features
2. It’s customizable
3. Unless you pay, you have to have ads on your screen
4. Its name also refers to a type of musical performance

Here’s what I might think about Firefox after reading a few articles and viewing its website:

1. It’s a well-reviewed alternative to Internet Explorer with cool new features
2. It’s customizable
3. It’s free and «open source»
4. It has a unique name and cool logo

И так далее.

Интересная заметка о брэндинге Оперы.