UPDATED 18:30 EDT / SEPTEMBER 29 2020

INFRA

VMware brings VMworld into the virtual realm, drives business transformation

VMware Inc. has been on a transformational journey. In an unexpected U-turn, the company went from being threatened with extinction by container technology to marrying Kubernetes and virtual machines in a revolutionary and successful alliance.

Now, the new and improved VMware is facing another challenge — taking an event that is considered “the gold standard” of information technology conferences into the virtual realm.

“VMware has spread its wings, has embraced more of the different IT audiences, and is driving business transformation for companies in new and pretty unique ways,” said Carol Carpenter (pictured), chief marketing officer of VMware Inc.

Carpenter spoke with John Furrier and Dave Vellante, co-hosts of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio, during VMworld. They discussed VMware’s transformation to a multicloud software-as-a-service company and how that is affecting the company’s marketing strategy, plus what to expect at this week’s virtual VMworld 2020 event. (* Disclosure below.)

VMware marketing goes digging for diamonds in the backyard

“A dramatic transformation” is how Carpenter describes VMware’s embrace of the modern application environment. Bringing the marketing department in-line means more customer focus, customer life cycle marketing, and data-driven customers and user interaction. It also means re-vamping B2B marketing from “boring and dull” to a simple, clear expression of value.

“Part of being a SaaS or subscription company is everything we do needs to be consumer-simple at scale, and with the secure ability and the reliability of what an enterprise needs,” Carpenter said.

VMware’s broader portfolio gives the ability to tell “a broader business value story,” she added. The journey is not only digital transformation, but business transformation. And that offers the opportunity to provide a greater value to the customer. Carpenter describes these opportunities as like “diamonds in the backyard. Some of them are a little dirty, and some are just not fully revealed. It’s our job to go and dust them off and tell the story to help customers and prospects understand the value we can bring.”

Taking VMworld 2020 virtual means there won’t be any hallway chats or “serendipitous interactions at the food line or coffee bar,” but there will be plenty of online interaction. “This is going to be the world’s largest VMworld,” Carpenter said.

Attendance will beat past events by a minimum of five-fold, with over 65% of registrants first-time VMworld attendees, according to Carpenter. “By going virtual, we actually have expanded our audience tremendously,” she said.

With everything from in-depth technical sessions to puppy therapy and yoga, “the level of personalization and ability to self-service is going to be out of this world,” Carpenter concluded.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of VMworld. (* Disclosure: VMware Inc. sponsored this segment of theCUBE. Neither VMware nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE

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