At the rate that technology advances, one can look back and see that what sounded like magic then was now today’s science. Clarke’s Third Law rings loud and true in a lot of real life cases. It truly has transformed the way we understand the word ‘magic’ itself. Who knows what other feats we deem magical today could in fact be the product of tomorrow’s technology.
And yet, rarely is this discussed when it comes to using the magical appeal of technology for B2B marketing.
It’s been over a week since Google launched a flash sale of their prototype wearable tech, the famous (or infamous, depending on your stance) Google Glass. The sudden and abrupt sale lasted only mere hours from the start of its public launch (right after a shortage of stock).
How is it that a device that’s been surrounded by so much controversy even manage to sell itself out? It wasn’t even a full launch and yet the numbers on the purchases are startling. What lessons can this teach other tech marketers out there?
Every product or service comes with a set of rules that tend to ingrain in our minds from the moment we start using them.
However, these rules play an unsung role when introducing the new technologies that could potentially reshape everyone’s lives.
That role is to keep them from getting shunned too early when you introduce them to the market.
Last year, Google Glass’ beta took a lot of spotlight for its workplace applications (e.g. the doctor who performed a live surgery while presenting them to students and colleagues seven miles away). Others included teachers who saw the potential in presentations for students, technicians in oil fields, and even the military’s own development of similar technology.
And as of last April 15th, Google had announced that Cotton (the white-framed version of Google Glass) sold out in just a single day. This just further proved how many users aimed to utilize and improve the device for future developments.
Is Glass the only technology entitled to this type of testing though?
Glass has been proven helpful for video conferences, presentations, data mining, and monitoring by making those functions more hands-free. It couldn’t have done that though if the folks at Google didn’t put themselves in the same shoes as their target customers.
Google Glass has taken the idea of augmented reality from the world of sci-fi to our very own living room. Now while our tech is still a long way from that in Minority Report and Iron Man, we’re at least thirty to fifty years closer to that future.
Then again, tech news and reviews are giving varying opinions that blur the lines of speculation and actual use. Meanwhile, Google Explorers have defended Glass’ reputation from what they deem as false accusations and misguided claims.
That doesn’t entirely explain why law enforcement and some establishments react so vividly to the new technology. It’s simply because it’s, well, new. Despite all the limitations of current tech and other restrictions applied by Google, none of it dissuaded the sense of fear provoked by the head mounted bundle of chips.
It goes to show that having the gadgetry and development resources isn’t enough to make up for responsible marketing and PR.