Its a pair of glasses for people who actually don't wear glasses that is not just a video camera it has a built in GPS and you can put Google searches. Is like having a computer right in front of your face all the time. Is it just me or anyone else thought this is a bazar thing to explain to an average consumer who never imagined well... wearing a computer on their face?
With $1,500 price tag and an invisible screen that hover over your peripheral vision it is a lengthy explanation for an average user who carry a cell phone that can do most of the things Google Glass seems to be able to do. To add to the challenge, Google does not have a retail chain that customers can touch, feel the product and have the Google Glass staff explain the product to them. So, Google turned to the groundswell. Now you can bet Google's strategy to engage with the groundswell ties very closely with our text book, Groundswell: Winning the World Transformed by Social Technologies.
1. Embracing the Customer.
So, Google Glass created the Explorer Program in the Glass website to get people involved in the innovation process of the beta product.
2. Energizing the Customer
The book recognize "energizing" as a word of mouth - "the most honest form of marketing, building upon people's natural desire to share their experience with family, friends, and colleagues". Glass certainly used the Explorer program as an avenue to let people, mostly tech video bloggers review the product and share their thoughts with the masses. It creates an opportunity for Google, Glass Developers and people to recognize how the Glass being used. Second, it created the buzz around the product and finally, it gave an opportunity for people to hear from average user instead of Google's marketing team (or Mullen advertising agency).
This is one of the Glass reviews,
Google Glass Twitter and website are constantly in touch with the Glass community re-tweeting about the Glass community engagements and sharing Explorer stories via their website.
Because Google already managed to create an online community around the Glass, it would be great if Glass app development has the same democracy. May be Google can use the same social media channels to have a Google apps ranking method on Twitter or Facebook and/or create an easy online channel between developers and the users to come up with Glass app ideas. After all like IPod and iTunes, most hardware depends on value and the pertinence of the software.
The retail version of the Google Glass is due to release this year. It is a product that is born out of Google but brewed in the groundswell. So, I for one is curious how it's going to taste like.
Hum... this is an interesting post. I have heard about Google glass, and also its privacy concerns that they are evoking. What do you do with people who do wear glasses thought ( like me)? How can I wear both?
ReplyDeleteYou can get prescription google glasses. Yes you are right, privacy concerns are one of the major problems that comes along with Glass. There is no way a person can tell whether the Glass is recording or not bcz there is no light flashing while record etc. At the moment you cannot wear Glass in some public places like movie theaters.
DeleteInteresting post! Google is certainly smart to create that Explorer Program. Since they are first to market with this sort of product, there will likely be some kinks to work out... and, as we all know from reading Groundswell, creating a platform/community for users to share their experiences using the products will make innovation happen faster. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI agree. It's really smart for Google to do the Explore Program. Dushyanthi, your choice is right to use Google as an example to illustrate the theories in the book. Google is not only a great technology company, but also an excellent social media.
DeleteThax Kayla & Yolanda! I think Glass was very careful in finding the mix of people they want for the Exploerer program. As far as I understand they only let out 8000 Glasses and it seems most people who are in the program have large following on twitter, or Youtube etc. (content creators) and do tech product reviews on social media or a developer who want to create programs for Glass.
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