Why Google vs. Facebook Isn't The Biggest Battle About To Unfold

It seems like everyone is looking at two recent numbers out there in the land of tech jaw-droppers – Facebook surpassing Google in traffic and the social network’s recent $50B+ valuation. Big news. But what’s funny is these numbers are also driving the focus on the ensuing battle between the two tech giants, yet no one seems to be looking at the jockeying Google is quietly doing on the sidelines, like they’re using Mark Zuckerberg’s monolithic leap into the limelight as a decoy to take the pole position in the exploding world of mobile and tablet devices and the ensuing intersection of geolocation and entertainment.


Don’t get me wrong, it’s fair to say that both Google and Facebook want it all. And it’s possible they could get it. After all, Facebook Places holds a ton of promise, but don’t expect a Facebook phone or OS to hit the streets anytime soon.


And to make things all the juicier, there’s another little company who lusts after consumer domination and has rode the hype train since the advent of the music download, and it starting to lose its edge – yes, Apple.


Recent events lead me to believe that Google is laying formidable groundwork for control of what will undoubtedly be the biggest, most effective, most accountable, most powerful ad platform humans will experience for the next two decades – and for our sake let’s just call it wireless. It’s the land of paper thin tablets, smart phones, wearables, auto systems, home appliances and whatever else they build on top of the Android OS.


Google’s gracious ‘gift’ of millions of free books on top of a device-agnostic platform, Android handset sales flying past iPhones, and some recent insider information I personally know about where very seasoned, very smart, senior people from the music industry have recently joined the big G, tells me there’s music subscriptions, monster digital eReader libraries and video anywhere coming, all neatly baked into the Android OS and residing on the Google cloud.


My guess is Google could care less about the traffic numbers. They are still killing search, with Microsoft’s Bing barely making a dent in their domination and they’re sitting on mountains of cash. And with these little media and entertainment hobbies – books, music and don’t forget they own a little web site called YouTube, folks and a flexible, wireless OS that’s on a major roll and hardware to boot, I don’t think Google has to worry about Facebook’s sub-$1 cpm ad revenue – they’re going to be frying much bigger fish…er…Apples.


Call me crazy but I think Apple’s days are numbered, but then again Mr. Jobs has been known have some pretty amazing tricks up his sleeve. All I can say is, Mr. Jobs, it’s twenty-freaking-eleven, and I know it’s not Apple’s business, but where are our flying freakin’ iCars?

Guy Borgford
VP Strategy, FGI.com

Google's eReader - What's Missing?

Google eBooks – What’s Missing?

By Guy Borgford

The flurry of digital publishing activity and prevalence of eReaders out there has a new high-profile kid on the block. With Google’s long-anticipated entry into the market, there’s now a platform-agnostic player in the game, with the potential to further revolutionize the publishing industry. At first blush, Google eBooks seems to offer it all: it works on pretty much any platform, it offers the latest best sellers and it’s got a large free offering as well. But what’s missing?

What isn’t really touched on is how will Google’s free experience be monetized via the Google advertising machine? Call me crazy, but I’m hoping for some innovation in the space, with the ability to build in rich, animated advertising, offline tracking and integrated promotional platforms such as sweepstakes and interactive contests to make eReader advertising something advertisers can sink their teeth into. This revolution in electronics and publishing deserves a new advertising model that turns print upside down along with innovation in the digital space. With behavioral targeting in danger of getting the proverbial rug pulled out from under it by privacy advocates, the digital space is going to need to innovate and provide some real value in order to get people to opt-in to their cookie drops.

If we look at the publishing industry from a macro level, we of course go far beyond books. Magazines have taken a huge hit from the digital space, with subscription numbers plummeting, titles closing shop and ad pages struggling under the new competition of new media and shifting media habits. This could be a whole, new game for the magazine trade, with archive issues, free in exchange for a bit of information and a few ads. Me thinks a great way to push subscription offers too. And don’t forget newspapers – there are multiple ways to monetize issues that may have slid past their 24 hour temporal shelf life.

At the end of the day, a large part of the publishing industry has lived in the world of perishable inventory – that’s a touch game to play. With the world moving over to digital via eReaders, perishable becomes a much more subjective term and the 2D, static world of print has new possibilities. Think about a digital library, not funded by dwindling public funds but by advertising and sponsorship dollars.

If anyone finds any information on what Google plans to do with the eReader space from an ad perspective, please let me know! Free books and mags for all - for a price…

Email me your thoughts at: guywborgford@gmail.com
Follow me on twitter @gborgford

A New Global Dream...

You see it everywhere – the ads telling you to read on to get rich. Click here to find out how you can get rich working from home, get rich secrets of the super rich, Richie Rich’s Quickest Way to Get Rich Quicker Than the Next Guy…etc…

In the boom of the industrial age, it’s fair to argue that perhaps this was the American Dream and in some developing nations, people are struggling to gain a shred of that dream as they see it through the lens of popular mass media. Was this a carefully crafted construct of the media elite to promote conspicuous consumption of goods and services beyond any real human need? Or is this an innate human need to not only keep up with the Joneses but do better than them – some primal animal instinct, like a human version of the biggest, brightest plumage or the loudest mating call. I think the argument could be made that it’s a hybrid of both – cultural learning and species/lineage propagation that leads humans to want/need to acquire beyond any rational true needs.

Granted, financial independence would be nice to have. What would you do with the freedom that could bring? Travel? Get that vacation home on the beach? Send your kids to the best schools money can buy? Build a McMansion with a 5 car-garage stuffed with cars that cost as much as most folks’ condos? I believe this last ‘dream’ is becoming a thing of the past. As we as a species become more aware of our precarious position on this beautiful planet, we know that dreams founded on conspicuous consumption are simply not sustainable. And if we as individual consumers have any semblance of selflessness or benevolence, we would already have dreams that are less focused on material wealth and possessions and more focused on the experiences and the freedom to make a difference.

Don’t get me wrong. I am a capitalist through and through. And I also am a true proponent of a system built on meritocracy. However, as we move from the rusted over-indulgence of the industrial age, to one built on information and technology, I think our dreams, goals and ambitions are shifting to less material and selfish, to more experiential, humane and sustainable. Call me an optimist.

With this shift, I see a world of minimalism and distilled experiences that heighten the now. Products and services that cater to getting more out of the present with less are going to be the big winners – think modern, pure, minimal, seamless, empowering and sustainable.

Materialism will become a dirty word. We’re already seeing evidence of that with the current economic crises around the planet. The super rich aren’t advertising as much with their overt displays of wealth. Not too long ago I submitted a script idea for a new investigative journalism program called ‘Carbon Footprints of the Rich and Famous”. I think it was ahead of its time. How many super rich have multiple homes, with massive strains on resources just to keep the grounds watered and the internal humidity in check? It’s a crime against this planet and their fellow human beings – several of whom are funding their extravagance by purchasing their albums, seeing their movies and buying their products. I think we need to bring it all down to Earth and not to pick on those fortunate ones of material fortune, but to show the audience that the real dream should be to still have a beautiful, blue planet for our children and the generations of the future.

A guy can dream...

This post was inspired by:

The Meaning Organization
Traditional businesses are struggling to recover from the economic downturn. They'll need to shift their focus from profits to authentic social engagement to have meaningful impact in the world.
By Umair Haque

http://designmind.frogdesign.com/articles/and-now-the-good-news/the-meaning-organization.html#new

A Day Without Social Is Like A Day Without...

A random Tweet telling of Twitter’s Top Tweeters taking time out of the tweetosphere in recognition of World AIDS Day, December 1, 2010, inspired me to take my own break from my connection to an ever-growing number of people, characters and news sources. Granted I’m no Kim Kardashian, with millions of followers [I still have no idea why so many are interested in her] but I think an issue of such importance to the human race needed to be supported, however seemingly small my gesture.

I started by replacing all my head shot images to the symbolic red ribbon in the very early hours of December 1, changing gears from the freakish light bulb head creature I decided to go with to represent my personal brand – it’s really not that far off reality, but anyway…

Then throughout the day I abstained from all postings, tweets, retweets, Likes, comments, links, thank you notes and other feed-based activities in support of this symbolic and important day.

Celebrity endorsement of social movements within the world of social media has the ability to touch a lot of lives. The viral impact of such simple and minimal gestures holds massive implications for the needs of non profits, political movements, human rights efforts and lobbying efforts, both ‘good and bad’.

Personally, I took the opportunity to take the day off Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn – yes I had to respond to email and messages, but I resisted my usual soap box rants to support the possible ground swell social media can pose on general public knowledge, opinion and support.

It wasn’t easy. Social media plays a huge role in my life, being the primary channel for setting up both business and personal real-life engagements and abstaining from its magnetic charms was like a day in solitary confinement. So rather than brood around the machine, I took a ‘me’ day and took time to do some things that always seem last in line. It was a nice change, but man do I feel better I’m back on my soapbox no longer having to resist that tempting, little retweet button.

I am thankful for...

I am thankful for…

The little wonders in life
Family, friends and the warmth and love around me
Good people, integrity, authenticity and benevolence
People for change, for progress and for sustainability
Courage, fearlessness and the peace that comes with believing
The creative force of life and my ability to tap its power
Living in the now and never meeting tomorrow
Memories of loves and lives long gone
Laughter – it is the song of the soul
This world at the edge of our universe called Earth
Knowing there is something more.

Is Your Company Fearless?

One of the most interesting things I’ve experienced during the past couple months of career transition is the inherent trepidation around decision-making and the culture of fear permeating many organizations. Perhaps it’s the economy? Maybe it’s the seismic shift in power to the masses with the advent of social media? Maybe it’s both, with some other things thrown in? Whatever the cause, there seems to be an epidemic of fear-driven, analysis paralysis throughout all areas of business, which effectively crushes innovation, creativity and authenticity.

A good indication of fear-driven mentality is the continuous reliance on comparative judgment to make decisions and bring on new talent. Many industries are trapped in role definitions that effectively frame their position requirements and organizations into a box, creating a culture and operational paradigm focused on the status quo. And let’s face it; this world isn’t standing still, so if your company is, you are actually moving in reverse.

In the world of marketing and creative communications, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Many agencies continue to rely on their world of revolving talent, design rhetoric and self-promotional award shows to maintain a feeling of control in an industry that’s in a state of complete revolution. They look to the old-school, old-boys network, with their polished marble palaces and ridiculous client fees as sources of inspiration and aspiration.

Meanwhile, they push off the heavy lifting to their publishing ‘partners’, not learning a thing about how to execute convergence media programs or the underlying technology - nor how to strategically assemble vendors and platforms to create seamless consumer experiences for their clients.

I’ve heard expressed sentiment from many on the client/brand side who feel as though agencies are becoming redundant through their apathy and archaic focus on the pre-existing models of profitability and media margins. Many agencies in this jet-fueled world of rapidly developing technology and communication platforms simply refuse to accept that this model of shifting paper and writing reams of rhetorical briefs in every shape and form around traditional approaches to brand communication is just not sustainable.

As consumer power proliferates, and communication models shift, the brands and agencies who redefine the talent acquisition process and criteria through which they select their people and keep them engaged, are the ones who will emerge victorious.

It’s like the elite athlete – the sprinter – coming down the finish line, neck and neck with her most fierce rival – the minute she turns to look at her position in relation to her nemesis, her foe internalizes every bit of effort to look at the tape and charge ahead to win, while our heroine looks over in astonished dismay.

Now, that’s not to say we shouldn’t do a SWAT analysis on new hires, projects and products. Rather, in addition, there needs to be a cultural analysis on both a micro and macro level in order to meet the demands of this rapidly changing world and the many forms of workplace that inhabit it and compete for consumer dollars, clients and talent. Companies need to focus on people first and look ahead, not to the side.

People work. People talk. People decide. People create. People innovate.

If someone has a history of developing product that meets and exceeds goals then does it really matter if s/he hasn’t managed a P&L in excess of $10M? And if an individual’s direct reports, managers, and clients rave about that individual’s leadership skills and ability to build and maintain a refreshing and engaging work culture, how is the number of direct reports really relevant to success?

If your criteria are based on numbers, perhaps it’s time to start thinking in words and begin a conversation about your own company’s culture, thinking deeply about how fear is framing your decision-making processes.

The fearless are the ones winning and the ones who define the new world order of business and work culture. Like people, every company is different and has a different way of defining culture, evolution and success. Some are brutally Darwinian, others spiritually driven by faith, but it’s fearlessness to embrace the company culture and resonate that throughout every aspect of the brand that creates this holistic synergy, without the specter of fear, trampling on progress and harmony. The fearless snap up talent that go beyond numbers and who understand the value of human relationships.

The antonym of fear is love. Love is all things light and positive, while fear resides in darkness.

Follow your hearts. Define your culture, your company, your people, your products and your customers by the love you have for what you do. And if you don’t truly love what you do, what are you waiting for? Start the culture of change today and make fear a thing of the past.

Thanks for reading.

Moldy Old Blood Suckers and Other Tales of Energy in a Can...

I love this promotion and felt compelled to add my madness to the mix. Check out my submission...if you DARE!!!

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Thanks to my 3 fans for reading. Ha, kidding I have 33 blog followers now - take that, Kim Freaking Kardashian...