Research, Analysis and Consulting Services

Building Success

An IDC White Paper is an objective overview by a respected analyst organisation written in cooperation with the sponsoring vendor. The paper addresses a specific issue, concept, or application for a targeted audience. IDC maintains an unbiased stance throughout the process; however, the vendor does have critical input. The sponsor's positioning can be illustrated through conducting primary and secondary research and analysis on relevant topics, thereby providing a means of offering third-party support or examples of the product, service or program. These client sponsored documents come in a vareiety of print and electronic (Web) formats and can be augmented by road shows or seminar engagements.

An IDC Whitepaper is a strong marketing tool, and is designed to help your business:

• Validate your new technology concept or a new product/service
• Communicate the real benefit of your concept to potential customers and investors
• Improve the awareness of your company and your concept in the market
• Expose successful case stories to your potential customers

Why Use IDC to Develop Your White Papers?

The real value of choosing IDC to develop your white paper is our ability to enable your customers to make better use of the information provided, enhance marketing communications, and help answer customer's questions in a wide range of practice areas within the IT market. We provide a comprehensive view of the situation at hand - drawing on research and insights from our highly respected analysts across our many technology areas and regions. We also provide you with an objective viewpoint, sound advice, and valuable information that enables you to position your solutions properly to your key audience.

IDC is the leading supplier of market information on the IT and telecom markets, and a highly trusted source not only within the industry. IDC is for instance by far the most quoted market research company on Wall Street.

An IDC white paper is a very strong tool as:

• IDC is a trusted source - your message will stand stronger
• IDC is well known - we communicate key messages on market trends and opportunities to your target audience
• IDC is unbiased - we have our opinions and we can validate your technology concept and user value proposition to the market, to partners or to investors

The IDC Advantage

How Customers Are Using White Papers

Types of deliverables
Our goal is to provide IDC customers with deliverables of the highest quality in a consistent, easy-to-read format. We offer a wide variety of print, electronic, and Web materials for you to augment your marketing communciations efforts. Custom designed formats are also available.

• Bulletin style: one- or two-color
• Booklet style: two- or four-color
• Electronic: PDF, HTML, or other formats available
• Web right options
• Custom brochures

Content of White Papers
The research content of White Papers is either based on IDC's standard research or on a customised project for the specific client or a combination of the two. Examples of research:

• Market sizing and Forecasts
• Market trends
• Competitive analysis including IDC's Leadership Grid
• Case studies
• Consumer and B2B user surveys
• Channels studies

Examples of Recent White Papers

Validating Value Proposition
Scope: A software company launched a new application to mobile devices, IDC wrote a white paper concluding IDC's viewpoint on the trends and forecast in the mobile market.
Benefit: Using IDC's white paper the company's message to potential investors and partners was significantly stronger.

Stressing the importance of eBusiness in Wholesale
Scope: For a Nordic software company IDC wrote a White paper analysing the necessity for companies within the wholesale industry to get involved in ebusiness.
Benefit: The company could focus on communicating their product and leave the arguments for ebusiness to IDC in the white paper. Including two case studies with success stories the company's message was a very strong sales tool.

Reshaping Company Image
Scope: For a networking company, IDC structured and participated in a multi city series of company sponsored briefings for invited executives on business and IT strategies needed for success with ecommerce. In addition, IDC authored a companion white paper on the business and IT factors critical to success and the key enabling role of the company's project in both strategies.
Benefit: The executive seminar series helped reshape the company's image as a business enabler and increase its visibility with a new and important group of decision makers. The coordinated white paper helped to reinforce the message and provided the company with a valuable collateral piece for marketing and sales.

For more information on this or other IDC research, please contact IDC Nordic Sales or your local IDC representative: