Google, 12 Years Ago (Or Billions of Dollars Earlier)

Before the Googleplex, before the billionaire creation, the mega-acquisitions and the 20,000th employee, Google was just a bunch of guys holding an all-hands meeting and eating cake.

The video below (fast forward liberally – it’s long) shows founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin leading a meeting of fewer than 60. 

They introduce a new employee and celebrate Sergey’s birthday.  There are presents (see 6:20 for Larry's gift to Sergey) and silly string. Folks sit on the floor or large exercise balls.

Hard to believe that just over a decade later, Google has grown into one of the most recognized and respected companies in the world.

In this video, everyone seems part of a tight-knit group who want to work there, who are happy to be with this little tech company. 

Google’s main asset was always its people, without whom there would’ve been no innovation, no world domination.

No matter what organization you’re in, a culture that gives people creative freedom and a sense of ownership will enable more success. 

It’s true -- just Google it.

Click image for video


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u68QWfHOYhY
http://www.seroundtable.com/google-tgif-13338.html

Jersey Shore Gone Wilde...Oscar Wilde

To promote their Broadway show, The Importance of Being Earnest, Roundabout Theater has launched a video series in which actors recite lines from MTV’s Jersey Shore in the style of Oscar Wilde. 

The results are 'Capital, old man!'  Or 'Slammin'', depending on your view.

Delivering lines like “You like your women how you like your underwear -- dirty” with a Victorian accent and cocked eyebrow, make a mash up that's far funnier for both eras.

What we find most appealing about this idea is the mix of low-brow and high-brow, and new and old media. 

Tagging videos on YouTube with a popular search term like ‘Jersey Shore’ guarantees more exposure than traditional promotion.  The videos have been picked up broadly on sites and blogs given the entertainment factor and the ease of sharing online.

Of course, Monty Python did this jokes-taposition years ago.  Karl Marx losing on trivia in a game show once they veered beyond the Das Kapital questions.  Socrates vs Aristotle…in a soccer match up.

But think about your business now, in a creative, mash-up way.  How could you reframe your content, or delivery, in a way that reached more people, or a different market?

Could Kia create Dancing with the Cars, where non-drivers are taught to win?  And viewers learn the key to stunt driving?  Could an Athenian style restaurant have a Greek of the Week message sent out on Twitter to promote a meal deal and a philosophic insight, Plato-style.

Anyway, The Snookis of the world are probably hitting the club, not the theater.  

But reaching a broader audience by tapping a current cultural rave for what WAS a cultural rave 100 years ago?  That demonstrates a certain 'savoir faire'…and Wilde would approve of it.  Or at least revel in the Situation.

Click on image for video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhk5Rjz7xk0

TV Hash Tag -- You're It.

The folks working in TV land have had a hard time with the rise of convergence and non-linear viewing habits. Hulu, anyone?

But recently, they've found a clever way to leverage Twitter to drive viewership. 

On Glee or American Idol lately, you might’ve noticed #Glee or #AmericanIdol lurking on-screen. These aren't mistakes, but hashtags used to categorize topics on Twitter.

Comedy Central experimented with this during the Roast of Donald Trump.  Not only was #trumproast used more than 27,000 times on Twitter during the telecast, it helped propel the channel to its most-watched Tuesday in history. Another victory for the Donald, beyond his hair defying gravity.

Other TV networks are catching on to the trend -- smart on multiple levels:

• Official hashtags aggregate Twitter chatter so it's easier to monitor buzz surrounding your brand

• People are encouraged to watch in real time 

• Seeing a TV show trending on Twitter might compel others to tune in

Real-time, online conversations allow fans another level of engagement with their beloved programs. 

Maybe this is a way to make “Must Watch TV” a relevant phrase again.  Must tweet TV?  Hash tagged.

http://www.blueglass.com/blog/why-hashtags-belong-on-tv/

http://howdoimarketmybiz.com/225/twitter-hashtags-on-tv/

http://www.inquisitr.com/103778/pics-stephen-colbert-attacks-jon-kyl-on-twitter/