Google’s Genius!

02/09/2010 | By Fernando Fonseca

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading ...

In every business the main objective is to achieve, no matter what, something that is called a win/win situation. This is a theory, and a practice, that is based on common sense: If everyone leaves the negotiation table in a happy mood, and with the feeling that they won something out of it, the probabilities of anything going wrong diminish.(Even if Mr. Murphy is always peeking around the corner to whack you with his infinite wisdom). However, not seldom, this objective is far from being reached.

It took many by surprise that Google payed for some prime time television during the Superbowl this year, a first time ever in the company’s history. Theories abound on the blogosphere trying to dissect what made Google make this move. Some of them are sound and well based while others are just pure (bad) science fiction. No matter where they stand, all of those talking about the subject, agree on this: Google took its brand beyond its own frontiers and did it in a very good way: the television spot is simple, emotional and tells a story that we all can relate to.

But this is prosumer age, right? It took no time for the first parodies of Google’s video starting to invade YouTube, all of them being posted, tweeted and retweeted, reaching more and more audience. One thing in common with all of these parodies: They are all using Google’s search engine and video platform giving the brand even more exposure than it had got with the original video. By letting everyone make a parody of its video Google shows that it understands social media: people are laughing, getting creative and making fun of Google and the company is getting more and more free exposure and more traffic on both its sites: Win/Win. And this is truly genius!

What do you think? Let me know in the comments!”

15 Comments

Roger Hjulstrom

February 10th, 2010

Dead on, Fernando. Same thoughts struck me. And it was probably one of the most cheaply produced Super Bowl ads ever!

[Reply]

Fernando Fonseca Reply:
February 10th, 2010 at 12:52 pm

True! Amazing value as well on that. The ROI on this one must be around a gazillion
Cheers.
Fernando

Brian McDaniel

Thanks for sharing these parodies, Fernando. I really thought the original Google commercial was brilliant, but you are correct in pointing out the opportunity it provided for further viral consumption. I am curious whether they planned it that way or it is just an unexpected benefit. Either way it’s a prime example of the right way to do these things. Google scores points again!

Fernando Fonseca Reply:
February 10th, 2010 at 12:51 pm

Hey Brian,
Actually I think that the whole thing is not happening per chance. We all know how aggressive YouTube/Google is when it comes to copyright infringement so I tend to believe that this is something that was thought about before hand.

Thank you for your comment!
Cheers,
Fernando

Shelly Kramer

LOVED the Google spot – in fact, it was in my top 5 favorites. And I think you are brilliant, FF, and dead on in your assessment here.

Fernando Fonseca Reply:
February 10th, 2010 at 12:49 pm

Thank you Shelly!

It means a lot to me, you know

Brent ~ the roseman

You know, I love using Google search. It’s fast, I usually find what I’m looking for, it’s convenient. What I don’t like is how easily and quickly I get bugs/viruses that redirect Google searches. Can they do something about that? Or is the problem in my own computer security or lack thereof? Norton doesn’t seem to catch these nasties even though I update all the time. Love Google, hate the redirecting problem… Is it something I’m doing wrong and can fix?

Fernando Fonseca Reply:
February 10th, 2010 at 12:47 pm

Hello Brent,
My advice: ditch Norton and install Avast!
It’s a free software that is very powerful.
Make sure you uninstall all the Norton stuff before you install Avast!

Cheers,
Fernando

Brian Hancock Reply:
February 10th, 2010 at 5:29 pm

Brent – You’ve got Malware on your computer (viruses made by smart people who monetize rather than terrorize). Combofix is great for getting rid of the redirect issue and other browser Hijacks: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/combofix/how-to-use-combofix

Fernando – I really think you’re getting just a tad bit crazy calling Google a genius for creating a mediocre ad that will be forgotten about in the blink of an eye. What they are really a genius at is:

-doing evil things but still saying and making people believe that they aren’t evil
-bashing Microsoft while following so closely in their footsteps (‘buying’ innovation rather than being innovative)
-pricing competitors out of the market by giving products away for ‘free’ to consumers (at the expense of their privacy of course)

Or maybe I just haven’t been Google’s biggest fan since I heard their CEO’s comments in regard to privacy… (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/07/google-ceo-on-privacy-if_n_383105.html)

February 11th, 2010

Regarding: Or maybe I just haven’t been Google’s biggest fan since I heard their CEO’s comments in regard to privacy… (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/07/google-ceo-on-privacy-if_n_383105.html)

He’s (Googles CEO is) just saying what I’ve always suspected anyway. The internet is a public forum, and I think that to expect privacy is unrealistic. The sooner we all deal with this, and take it into consideration with our searches and comments online, the better for all of us. Personally, I’ve always thought of the internet as a giant public message board (this doesn’t mean that I like it that way, just that I always assumed it was that way). If you have/had a different view of the internet and privacy, I’d be interested in hearing your reasoning behind that.

Brian Hancock Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 9:47 am

Comments on a blog or message board are one thing, but using a search tool for research is an entirely different animal. You know clearly when you post a comment that it is there for all the world to see, but most don’t realize how much Google tracks about them.

Similarly, while it’s one thing to understand that Google is tracking your search activity, it’s another to realize their total lack of respect for privacy.

His comments just show he doesn’t understand the issue of privacy at all. What about someone with cancer researching the disease? Is it wrong for them to want to keep that private? What about a company doing research on a yet-to-be patented product. Etc. etc. etc.

Forgetting about Google or any other site, everything you do on the web is tracked by your ISP. Of course it’s naive to think that you aren’t tracked on the web, but it’s terrible to not demand privacy from these companies…

Brent ~ the roseman Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 9:59 am

Hi Brian,

You make a good point. I wonder however, how private other search engines are compared to Google? With the level of paranoia in the world (especially in the US) since 9/11, I think any expectation of (or demand for) privacy has become unrealistic. If you want a “wide” readership however in the “intelligence” community, just add words like bomb, terrorist, and death to america to your messages. Do you think that might get their attention?

Fernando Fonseca Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 12:15 pm

Hello Brian,

First of all you don’t seem to understand my point when I wrote my post, so I will try to make it clear: I am only addressing Google’s marketing genius and nothing else.

If you did a little research on me (using Google or any other search engine of your choice) you would find that I am a member of the British Pirate Party, one of the directors of the ONG Artists for Freedom (that deals mostly with freedom of speech, human rights and net-neutrality issues) as well as a member of Telecomix, the international movement that has done more than any other organization in Europe to bring such issues to the attention of politicians regular users alike.

What I am not is someone that can’t admire its opponent. That, I’m sorry to tell you, is a mistake. If you don’t know your “enemy”, if you don’t admire its intelligence and its tactics you will never be able to understand it. If you don’t understand your enemy you will never ever be able to defeat it.

So, yes, I might be crazy but one thing is for sure: I do admire this move from Google because it taught me something else about the company.

What did you learn, that is the question I leave you with.
Cheers,
Fernando

PS: This comment was posted using a double firewall, 3 VPN security switches and TOR. Enough privacy, don’t you think?

Brian Hancock Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 1:04 pm

Brent – don’t feel like digging this up at the moment, but if you’re inclined there’s lots of info to be found on how Google treats requests for its information vs. other search engines. Needless to say, it’s not pretty.

Fernando – No, I did get your point. Remember I started my comment with: “you’re getting just a tad bit crazy calling Google a genius for creating a mediocre ad that will be forgotten about in the blink of an eye”.

I just got sidetracked in a long rant thereafter!

As far as what I learned – nothing really. Everything google does gets over-hyped up about on the web…

Fernando Fonseca Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 2:10 pm

The fact is Brian, that from a creative stand point, the Google ad has all the strong points that make any ad a success. Like Roger said it cost Google nearly nothing to produce it (another plus point) and people are using it to make their own stories. To call this “mediocre” is, in my opinion, not wanting to see what is right in front of your eyes. As a former creative director for an advertising agency I would’ve liked to come up with something like this and being allowed to let it go viral