Hewlett Packard's Rebranding Effort: Unveiling the Company's Rich History and Inventions

Strategic Insights -

Hewlett Packard, the world's leading printer manufacturer, has undergone a significant transformation under its new CEO, Carly Fiorina. The company has shed its image of reliability and dullness, adopting a bold new logo and slogan that reflect its history of innovation and inventiveness. The roots of this transformation can be traced back to the company's humble beginnings in an old garage in Palo Alto, California, where two Stanford students, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, founded the company in 1939 with a mere $US538.

Key Takeaways:

  • The new logo, "HP Invent," and the slogan "It's a garage thing" are designed to convey the company's emphasis on innovation and its roots in the garage where the company was founded.
  • The Garage Program, launched by HP, aims to invest $US500 million worldwide and $70 million in Australia in promising technology startups.
  • The Australian branch of HP has its own success story, with a division established about 10 years ago that has become a $100-million-plus export operation, developing digital performance monitoring technology.
  • The Australian technology was developed in collaboration with Telstra and has turned out to be a great success, with virtually every telco in the world of significance having bought the product.
  • The Internet revolution is just starting, and HP's technology is well-positioned to benefit from its growth.

Statistics:

  • HP was founded in 1939 with a mere $US538 by two Stanford students, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard.
  • The Australian branch of HP has established a $100-million-plus export operation.
  • The Garage Program aims to invest $US500 million worldwide and $70 million in Australia.
  • The company has rebranded itself with a new logo, "HP Invent," and the slogan "It's a garage thing."
  • Virtually every telco in the world of significance has bought the Australian-developed broadband test and measurement equipment.

Sources:

  • The Australian Financial Review, "HP's latest project aims to invest $500 million in start-ups", April 20, 2000.
  • Hewlett-Packard, "HP Invent" and "It's a garage thing" logos and slogan.
  • Interview with Bruce Thompson, Australian Managing Director of Hewlett-Packard.
  • HP's official press releases regarding the Garage Program.