Salesforce Versus Adobe - A Longstanding Rivalry

By Rajat Kesarwani| Monday, April 06, 2020 15:25 PM | 4 min read

Highlights:

• The world is in the midst of a massive digital transformation, which naturally brings debate on the technologies of Salesforce and Adobe.
• In the fight between data and content creation, both Adobe and Salesforce seem to be holding their own.
• Both technology giants have shown immense growth and progress where their revenues and innovations are concerned.

There is no doubt that in the field of technology, there always exists a rivalry between two technologies, catering to the similar needs of every user with the help of their product. But Jim Cramer, CNBC’s Mad Money’s host, believes that there is a possibility of witnessing a great rivalry between salesforce.com and Adobe. Now, the question that pops in everybody’s mind is how can there be a competition between a software pertaining to Customer Relationship Management and other software used for creativity and digital design, i.e. Salesforce vs. Adobe. Let’s see how!

There is a little-known fact that around the globe, the process of digital transformation is taking place which has been reshaping the operations of an organization. The operations pertaining to how the organization is to present themselves to the customers is evolving drastically. Therefore, Salesforce and Adobe, though catering to different needs of a customer, are two of the prominent technologies playing a role in the process of the above-mentioned digital transformation.

Fight Between Data And Content Creation

Yes, you read it right, Data versus Content Creation. It seems a peculiar competition, but it really is not, given the digital transformation taking place across the globe. To begin with, here is a little backdrop to the different roots these two companies originate from. Adobe is considered to be a key player in the technology industry. It is senior to salesforce.com and has been in the industry for over twenty more years than salesforce.com. It is a well-known fact that Adobe’s technology has been unmatchable when it comes to content creation. In addition to this, Adobe has been successful in computer-based publishing pertaining to the fact that it holds an edge in the field of content creation and all other activities involving creativity.

On the other hand, Salesforce is an organization that continually strives for new and improved products as well as services. It does not rely on its past success and glories to appeal to customers. Salesforce is a technology which has its roots in building cloud-based software for customer relationship management. The company has been a champion in its field since day 1. Over the years, Salesforce has grown by leaps and bounds, making headlines with its advancing technologies and growing revenues.

When it comes to the fight between data and content creation, both Adobe and Salesforce can be considered a success insofar as their revenues over the last few years are concerned. In fact, even their acquisition strategies have been similar many times. In short, leaving a few core strengths, competencies and expertise, everything else in terms of organizational digital transformation and customer experience is a source of rivalry between the two.

Which Digital Transformation Investment To Go For?

Based on the current rivalry between Salesforce and Adobe, people often wonder which stock to buy. The digital transformation industry across the globe is estimated to be a staggering $1 trillion a year. This number is only growing through every passing year. Owning the stock of both Salesforce and Adobe have a set of advantages. Scott Webb, CEO of Avionos, says that Microsoft Office looks to be heading towards premium software platforms and focusing on things like customer experience as well as digital transformation. Simply put, in order for Salesforce or Adobe to get hit, the companies need to budget for efficiency and productivity because they are both important for the success of their customers.

Bottom Line

It cannot be denied that the digital transformation movement is heating up significantly in the present times. Both these software giants are expected to heat things up in the coming years. However, instead of picking sides, investors could best serve themselves by making digital transformation investments in both.