Google did a nice PR stunt to bloggers today. It posted a comic describing its newest product - a browser to compete with Microsoft IE and Firefox - to some bloggers. Except the bloggers got it earlier than intended and have started talking about it.
Here are scans of the comic. And here's the bloggers' description of what happened. What people are saying online is that the Americans, on a public holiday today, didn't think anyone would receive the comic in the post until tomorrow. "Philipp Lenssen scooped everyone on the GBrowser. How? He lives in Germany and there's mail today," said Steve Rubel. Hmm. I'm not so sure. Surely noone assumes US public holidays are global? This was a nice way of amplifying blog coverage, if it was in fact done intentionally that is.
Either way, great idea getting a cult cartoonist to cartoon your launch. Very nice indeed. Especially considering Google's target market.
Shame it wasn't done by Hugh Macleod ;) A classic social object me thinks. And shame on Google for not releasing a Mac version from the off. A disproportionate number of journalists and bloggers are on Macs . . . .
Posted by: Jonathan Hopkins | September 01, 2008 at 11:50 PM
I agree about the comic coup, but the cartoonist should have better checked out a current map of Europe, before drawing this frame:
http://twitpic.com/9ynz
Don't think Austria, Benelux, Switzerland, and Hungary will be amused about this type of imperialism 2.0 ;-)
Posted by: Tapio Liller | September 02, 2008 at 11:42 AM
I love the comic strip approach. I am pretty sure that Google knew what they were doing and wanted to get as much buzz as possible.
Shany
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Posted by: max johnson | November 02, 2008 at 08:15 AM