Googlighting, Microsoft’s latest Google-bashing attempt, has resulted in another commercial by the corporate giant. This time, Microsoft specifically attacks Google’s line of cloud services, including Google Docs and Gmail through a mock interview and singing parody. Microsoft’s Google Man steps into the office of a CEO, trying to sell Google’s cloud collaboration software to be implemented across the company. With valid concerns such as the requirement for constant internet, a constantly updating software, and potential lack of security, the CEO makes mincemeat out of Google and ends with a song sung about not using Google products or trusting Google.
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Microsoft, ever since Google’s announcement to streamline their privacy policies, has been on the offensive on Google, marketing their products as superior to Google’s own. This attack, much like the last one, seems targeted not only at the success of Google’s software, but different ideologies and ways to treat the customer. Microsoft’s Tim Rizzo blogged about this commercial and explained exactly what Googlighting is. Essentially, Microsoft believes Google takes shortcuts, lacks expertise, isn’t worthy of trust, is inflexible as to what businesses need, doesn’t care about your privacy, and puts out an inferior product.
Regardless of whether Microsoft’s claims are true or not, we’ve entered a new age of companies directly disparaging each other across the internet. Between Samsung’s attacks on Apple, the old Mac versus PC ads, and Verizon’s old iDon’t commercials, a new trend has been forming of a more public form of one-upmanship. The court battles over patents are opening up into the public sphere as tensions build and an already cutthroat industry battles on multiple levels for market dominance and relevance. How the battlefield will look when it’s over is unclear, but there certainly won’t be any winners. Especially not the consumer.
Well spotted and said!