Google Glass – A Revolution or an Evolution?

At the tender age of only 17, Google is a relatively young corporation that has blossomed in leaps and bounds since it launched in January 1996. It started as a research project for Larry Page and Sergey Brin whilst they gained their PhD’s at Stanford University. In this short space of time Google has developed into a globally recognised household name, revolutionised the way millions search the Internet dominating as the leading search engine and generates $50 billion in revenue on an annual basis, regularly beating quarterly profits. Not bad for a project that started in a garage.

Over the years Google has released a bounty of successful services from productivity measurement tools, advertising algorithms as well as entering the smartphone market with Android. Now they’re aiming to raise the bar with a worldy product that could be as socially transforming as their garage-born dream; Google Glass.

Google Glass are a pair of glasses that look to revolutionise the way in which people lead their daily lives; look being the operative word. Users sporting the spectacles will be able to capture imagery and video through a small eye-level camera, connect and share content with friends, search the web via a head-mounted display and even use Google maps to help navigate the world as they see it.

With new products it can be difficult to create a strong following. A key factor to Apple’s success, a primary competitor of Google’s, has been its ability to create a loyal community at the core of its brand. A community of brand ambassadors that eagerly snatch up new products the moment they are released, pro-actively spreads positive messages about the brand and most-likely the reason you may have ended up waiting months to receive an iPhone 5 on its launch. However, Google seems to understand this idea of “community” as it has adopted an unconventional and innovative way of marketing Google Glass.

You may also remember the introduction of bluetooth headsets and how they sought to revolutionise the communication accessory market, but do you associate the item with “being cool”? Do you even know of anyone who uses a bluetooth headset anymore?

Back in January this year an exclusive competition was launched to establish a group of “Google Explorers”. The competition was instigated on Twitter #ifihadglass, and hundreds of winners are in the process of receiving invitations to obtain their free pair. Entrants detailed how they would use the spectacles if they had them and the most innovative, quirky and “connected” people were selected.

With the first batch of devices being shipped out last week it is interesting to see how they are using Google+ to market their innovative technology. Through the Google+ Community those lucky few are able to share their Google Glass experiences with the world and essentially, through wor-l-d of mouth, do Google’s marketing for them. More importantly, they will inadvertently add their “cool” flavour to Google’s marketing mix, as trendy users transfer their brand image to Google Glass.

Set to retail at $1,000 drop us a tweet with #savingup if your buzzing for this facial accessory or #giveitafewyears if you’d rather drag out the purchase until it’s a bit more “affordable”?

Companies are becoming increasingly creative with their marketing, seeking new ways to put their name on the map. With the rise of social networking and the Internet in general, global society has seen the development of online identities, the harnessing of communities and individuals becoming brands in themselves.

This process of using authoritative bodies from across the globe, and not just big brands but passionate people with their own online communities, has enabled a culture of information sharing, opening new and exciting opportunities for businesses to objectively spread their messages.