I’ve had the pleasure of watching CNN while I am unintentionally sniffing gas fumes but the days of CNN gas pump broadcasting may be numbered as a new type of gas station entertainment is jumping on stage. Starting this December, Google will install Google Maps on some 3,500 gas pumps around the United States that will allow motorists to search for local spots and print out directions from the pump itself.
In my opinion, this is an amazing idea. Google Maps and gas station pumps fit together as well as peanut butter and jelly. Next time you are lost on a road trip or looking for a good place to eat, you no longer need to walk into the gas station and ask the attendant, who the majority of the time seems like they hate any form of human communication, for directions or recommendations of good places for you to eat. Just go to the pump, do a search on Google, and print out your directions.
Well, it’s official! Google finally admitted they are working on an Operating System or “software stack” for mobile phones. While this is not Google phone per se, it will power a large number of different phones from Samsung, HTC, Motorola and LG. The question is whether this will make significant inroads into the territory of Windows mobile, Palm, and Blackberry as well as grow the overall mobile computing market.
US consumers are remiss to pay for anything when they can get it for free. Many consumers will withstand a barrage of untargeted ads just to get a $5 Starbucks card or a chance to win an ipod. They certainly will be enthusiastic about getting something free when the ads are much more targeted and even relevant to them. So, be prepared for Google to replace Windows Mobile or the Palm OS on most devices. It could easily be a category killer. The only possible exception would be for RIM and the addicted loyalists they have created.
So, expect Google’s stock to continue to increase while Search marketers celebrate the chance to dominate mobile advertising…
Radiohead, one of the largest alternative bands in the world, released their new studio album “In Rainbows” via their website. The entire album can be downloaded for as little as $.90 or as much as you decide to pay for it. Although we all know that the majority of people are going to download the album for the minimum price, Radiohead is turning their album into a promotional tool to gain visibility, build fan loyalty, increase merchandise sales, and increase concert ticket sales.
For example, Google searches for “Radiohead” increased ten fold since the announcement of their downloadable album, website traffic increase 11 fold according to HitWise and news coverage of the band has increased dramatically in recent days. Although the knife is being turned that was stabled into hearts of major labels years ago by Napster, Radiohead is gracefully leading the progression of the music industry into the digital era. In the last few days, bands like Oasis and Jamiroquai have expressed interest in following suite with Radiohead.
On Wednesday, Reuters reported that Google’s purchase of advertising company DoubleClick is likely to be approved by regulators — despite fierce objections from Google’s chief rivals, Microsoft and Yahoo.
Some argue that the merger of two advertising giants has troubling antitrust and privacy implications.
At the same time, many experts point out that Internet advertising is a huge and largely untapped market that is ripe for new entrants, even if mergers like the Google-DoubleClick deal are approved.
Google’s $3.1 billion buyout of DoubleClick, if approved, is just one sign of a larger trend — the rapid consolidation of the lucrative Internet advertising industry. Though Microsoft and Yahoo are objecting to Google’s intention to acquire DoubleClick, they have made their own acquisitions as well. Microsoft Corp bought aQuantive Inc — the largest interactive ad agency — for $6 billion; Yahoo purchased BlueLithium for $300 million. Both of these deals were approved by U.S. regulators.
Because the online ad market is constantly evolving, incredibly dynamic, and difficult to define, it’s difficult to say whether the Google-DoubleClick deal would really represent an antitrust violation. The online ad market is currently expanding 15 to 20 percent a year worldwide. The global ad market, in contrast, is growing only 2 to 3 percent a year. Similarly, online advertising revenue surged to nearly $10 billion in the first half of 2007.
Because the online ad market is so huge and still surging, experts argue, it is possible for many more players to burst onto the scene and carve out their own segment of the market, even if Google and DoubleClick do merge. Online ad prices, some say, are highly unlikely to rise as a result of the deal.
