A mash-up between Dogfish Head and Google, eh?
This ultimate tag-team is bent on world domination, bringing peace to the middle east, collaborating on a globally-sourced, beer dubbed URkontinent—A high-gravity, exotically-flavored brew (couldn't have seen that one coming.)
I am so on the fence about this, my ass hurts.
On one hand, I think it really cool that technology could bring together the best nerds (both traditional and beer focused) from all over the planet and say, "World, what do you want?" Using Google Sites and Moderator to take suggestions from their minions Googlers all over the globe is downright brilliant. Sam Calagione hits the nose on the head when he says that what Google does every day is, "...take a fractured world of information and put it into something cohesive and whole." Even Google's video chat app, Hangouts, was used so the ingredient collaborators, hundreds or thousands of miles away from Delaware, could see what was going on during the brew!
Yes! That's it! Brilliant! Kinda...
On the other hand, Dogfish Head is acting like they're giving the people what they want, altruistically, when they're really just using Google as a tool to advertise their beer. Google isn't doing that on their end. They're saying, hey check out all this awesome technology—look what we can do (Our Quick Response code tattooist will be over shortly to encode your children.) I'm all for marketing schemes and I get that companies are going to use what ever means they have to, in order to get their products or message out there—I worked in advertising for ten years, I know the score—just don't act like that's not what going on.
Calagione, actually said that in the video! Isn't that exactly what they just did? Just because you didn't pay for it, doesn't mean you're not advertising. Geez, you've had a television show on Discovery and you just got in bed with one of the most powerful technology companies in the world. Did you think we wouldn't figure it out, Sam? I hate to break it to you, but nobody really thinks you're running your business during breaks between surfing the tube on Rehoboth Beach and chapters of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Advertise your beer or don't advertise your beer, I don't care—as long as you don't say you aren't when you obviously are. I don't have anything against Google, Dogfish Head or Sam Calagione—In fact, I really like Dogfish Head beer—just don't take me for a fool.
As long as you don't do that, and you keep making a good product, I'll keep buying your beer.
Don't worry Google, I'll keep using you, too.
This ultimate tag-team is bent on world domination, bringing peace to the middle east, collaborating on a globally-sourced, beer dubbed URkontinent—A high-gravity, exotically-flavored brew (couldn't have seen that one coming.)
I am so on the fence about this, my ass hurts.
On one hand, I think it really cool that technology could bring together the best nerds (both traditional and beer focused) from all over the planet and say, "World, what do you want?" Using Google Sites and Moderator to take suggestions from their minions Googlers all over the globe is downright brilliant. Sam Calagione hits the nose on the head when he says that what Google does every day is, "...take a fractured world of information and put it into something cohesive and whole." Even Google's video chat app, Hangouts, was used so the ingredient collaborators, hundreds or thousands of miles away from Delaware, could see what was going on during the brew!
Yes! That's it! Brilliant! Kinda...
On the other hand, Dogfish Head is acting like they're giving the people what they want, altruistically, when they're really just using Google as a tool to advertise their beer. Google isn't doing that on their end. They're saying, hey check out all this awesome technology—look what we can do (Our Quick Response code tattooist will be over shortly to encode your children.) I'm all for marketing schemes and I get that companies are going to use what ever means they have to, in order to get their products or message out there—I worked in advertising for ten years, I know the score—just don't act like that's not what going on.
"We don't really spend any money on advertising or marketing outside of the few, small beer geek publications. Most of our energy goes into just having a conversation with people who drink our beer—instead of the old world monologue of a giant company, yelling at you 'We make the best beer in the world' on a TV screen or a billboard—That doesn't work."
Calagione, actually said that in the video! Isn't that exactly what they just did? Just because you didn't pay for it, doesn't mean you're not advertising. Geez, you've had a television show on Discovery and you just got in bed with one of the most powerful technology companies in the world. Did you think we wouldn't figure it out, Sam? I hate to break it to you, but nobody really thinks you're running your business during breaks between surfing the tube on Rehoboth Beach and chapters of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Advertise your beer or don't advertise your beer, I don't care—as long as you don't say you aren't when you obviously are. I don't have anything against Google, Dogfish Head or Sam Calagione—In fact, I really like Dogfish Head beer—just don't take me for a fool.
As long as you don't do that, and you keep making a good product, I'll keep buying your beer.
Don't worry Google, I'll keep using you, too.
Well done sir!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know what you mean. It sorta....doesn't sit quite right, does it?
ReplyDeleteI'm torn, because I know the beer will probably be great.
ReplyDelete