Forrester

Is Marissa Mayer the right choice for Yahoo!? According to Forrester Analyst Shar VanBoskirk, the answer is likely no. Why? "Yahoo!'s fundamental problem is that it has too many disparate products with no clear unifying thread that ties them all together. And Mayer's background is in product development . . . not corporate strategy, not marketing, not brand definition . . . the areas where Yahoo! has the most critical need," notes VanBoskirk in a new blog post. What's more, Mayer's appointment signals a shift in Yahoo!'s strategy toward individual product promotion, when what's needed is a clear strategic vision.

But, Mayer may just be the right choice for Yahoo! if she's able to:

1. Define a clear vision for the Yahoo! brand.
2. Get rid of extraneous Yahoo! products that have nothing to do with that vision.
3. Market the new vision clearly so that business and consumer customers know what Yahoo! is and why to use it.

About Forrester Research

Forrester Research, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORR) is an independent research company that provides pragmatic and forward-thinking advice to global leaders in business and technology. Forrester works with professionals in 17 key roles at major companies providing proprietary research, customer insight, consulting, events, and peer-to-peer executive programs. For more than 29 years, Forrester has been making IT, marketing, and technology industry leaders successful every day. For more information, visit http://www.forrester.com/.