IBM Rolls Out Linux Advertising Campaign

In the past year, IBM Corp. has opened its arms to Linux, even vowing to invest more than $1 billion in Linux over the next year and an additional $300 million in Linux services over the next three years. Now venerable Big Blue is putting its advertising dollars into the mix in the surest indication yet that IBM means business when it comes to Linux.

According to an IBM spokesperson, Big Blue is spending double-digit millions on its new Linux eSever ad campaign.

“It’s just generally to raise awareness of IBM’s embrace of Linux across our server family,” the spokesperson said. “It’s very, very different from the IBM eBusiness campaign. It’s a new look to celebrate a new movement.”

The theme of the campain is “Peace, Love & Linux.” It features a peace symbol, a heart, the Linux penguin and the eServer brand.

“It’s very simple,” the spokesperson said.

The campaign will target corporate server buyers with billboards (Times Square will host New York City’s ad), newspapers, magazines and IT trade publications. Big Blue is also working a Web campaign through e-mail,but Internet users won’t see an IBM Linux banner ad.

“It’s an e-mail campaign because that’s really the way the Linux and Open Source communities communicate and we want to reach out to them as well,” the spokesperson said.

However, for those want a little more dazzle, the company has put out an online flash ad explaining Big Blue’s interest in Linux.

“Why is IBM supporting Linux?” the ad asks. “Because we admire it, we believe in it it, we need it, and it’s good for customers.”

The ad then expands on that theme, declaring the open standards associated with Linux as essential to the furtherance of its vision for online business.

“Integrating platforms and software is the real road to the next generation of truly seamless infrastructure,” the ad says. “The open standards of the Internet made it possible to integrate networks. Linux will do for applications what the Internet did to networks.”

The campaign has already hit the U.S. It will then roll out in Europe and Asia.