Intel absorbs Samsung's Eric Kim, counters chaebol threat

CHIP GIANT Intel has poached Samsung executive Eric Kim and will use him to invigorate its advertising and inject more consumer values into chip giant's brand, according to an internal communication by president Paul Otellini.

In a Q&A held at an internal webcast, Paul Otellini said that Kim's first focus will be to learn the Intel culture but his main task will be put more life back into the brand as well as to convey more consumer-centric messages in its advertising. He will also act to weld together all the different Intel messages it puts out.

That was his job at Samsung, said Otellini, and he created a powerful brand image. Otellini said his experience in consumer electronics would also be very good for Intel.

Otellini also said that even though Samsung was going to enter the foundry business, Intel would keep to its last and protect its own investments and factory network. Does Samsung still have a separate licence to produce the DEC Alpha chip? As far as we know, it does, but does nothing with it.

While Samsung was showing good growth, Intel had to grow faster than the Korean chaebol. Intel won't give up the flash market to Samsung, which had also performed well in cell phones. Intel won't give up the cell phone market to Samsung.

He said that part of Intel's shift into a more aggressive advertising strategy was its decision to resurrect the Blue Men, "paint them with Centrino" and not go dark. µ

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