Should Google worry about Facebook?

A common question that has been asked by countless online marketers: "should Google worry about Facebook?" Before I go about spilling my opinion on this topic, I'd like to stretch-out-the-silly-putty on this one and go back to late 2007. According to Jody Nimetz from 'ask-Enquiro.com' in September of 2007, she outline 7 points on why Google should feel threatened by Facebook:

1. Facebook has experienced a quick rise to the "top" - Facebook is currently the second largest social network on the Web, behind only MySpace in terms of traffic.
2. Facebook is th emost viral software distribution platform ever
3. Facebook is addicting
4. Fasbook has made no secret of the fact that it wants to go public and will likely allow its search box to return keyword-driven results to generate greater online advertising dollars, which would pose a threat to Google
5. Facebook is not some little startup, many believe Facebook's value to be in the $8-12 billion dollar range
6. There are nearly  3400 applications on Facebook with about 100 million installs
7. Microsoft continues to acquire a stake in Facebook

Compare that to recent news from RBC Capital Markets' Analyst, Ross Sandler, shows that Facebook could "eclipse Google in 2011" in terms of unique users growing at an annual rate of 85% vs. Google's 20%. Evidently, more users are using Facebook to browse and link to direct key sites more often than Google! Check our the charts that show Facebook's rise to power:

Source: http://www.insidefacebook.com/2009/03/18/rbc-analyst-issues-note-on-facebooks-threat-to-google/

So it would seem evident that Facebook is invading on Google's mothership of search advertising and browsing. For myself, I hate to admit that it but I've never been much of a Facebook user and have already begun to fall out of sync with today's online networking tools like twitter. Call me old fashioned but I just can't seem to commit to an online tool when I put my phone to good use everyday talking to close friends! For myself at the least, I'm rooting for Google, because I just can't image the day I use Facebook and social networks to get all my quirky information =P

My little 'Green Book' and the steps to an "Irish Spring"

Happy St. Patricks Day! I was recently sent info about this new microsite from my friend about Irish Spring's new interactive marketing ploys. So what are the Irish known for? Well according to Colgate-Palmolive, their known for 3 things: "fresh scents, dirty jokes and ... legendary luck of the Irish"! Why wouldn't I want a piece of that! It seems that the brand specialists on Irish Spring decided to go forward on using a new web refreshed microsite to perk the sales on their new 2-in-1 body wash and cool relief cleaning formula. 

Its actually a pretty neat interactive site with product profiles, funny little Irish sayings, ringtone downloads, and even a voting cast for favorite Irish Spring T-shirts. The microsite also combines online marketing with offline as they're doing a tour with their Body Wash Team right now in Vancouver! As an interesting fact, there are 4.4 million Canadians of Irish decent making it this country's 4th largest ethnic group! So it might just be time to jump in to learning some of those Irish pick up lines to impress the 'lassies'.

(Sourced: http://www.marketingmag.ca/english/news/media/article.jsp?content=20090313_143921_8876)

Grassroots Marketing - An age of Non-Marketing?

From my last post, one of my friends started asking me about Pepsico's "G" campaign. I took a look into it a little deeper and found that the latest trend in online marketing is "Grassroots Marketing" or Non-Marketing. This new kind of marketing runs on people's curiosity. By putting a strange and interesting ad online that draws a sense of mystery, it raises the chances for people to pass it on virally. 

An article I found online about Grassroots Marketing tells us that, there is "little or no money spent on marketing or advertising. The biggest downside is that it is time and energy intensive". The article also talks about the three F's of Grassroots Marketing as characterized by Feel-good, Frequent, and Free.

In a sense, Grassroots Marketing takes 'word-of-mouth' advertising online and very well viral marketing to an extreme. This explains the "G" -gatorade campaign.

(Source: http://corporate-marketing-branding.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_latest_marketing_trend_nomarketing)

What's G?

This past weekend, my team and I finally put together our Collegiate Sports Business Conference, and at the event we had the Pepsi Bottling Group there as a  workshop speaker speaking to us about their newest product G2. In their presentation, I learned about their new interactive viral video campaign called "What's G?" Why don't you take a look and see if you can tell me what it is.

Don't get it? Don't worry, your not alone on this one. Apparent Pepsico's strategy is to shock and confuse their customers with their interesting ad piece that seems either too abstract for my mind or maybe just a mystery for all. I commend them on their effort for doing something different, a whole viral video for Gatorade with out even the slight product shot or brand recognition. I'd be interested to see how this one plays out.