Cheeseburger, Fries and a Large Google, Please
Brands become huge when they're used as common words. A Kleenex is a tissue
to most -- doesn't matter who cut down the trees to make it. A Coke is a cola,
and most of us would gladly accept a Pepsi or even an RC if the real thing wasn't
available.
And when we search the Internet, we don't MSN Live Search it -- we Google it,
baby!
And that ubiquity is the main reason why Google
is the most valuable brand in the world today, two places ahead of Microsoft.
While I often cast doubt on just how broadly Google competes (I see it as a
search and ad company), this brand gives it a huge leg up in any new markets
it cares to enter. If it made a super-caffeinated cola beverage, I'm sure we'd
all be asking for a Google instead of a Coke. Then Coke could strike back with
a killer search engine!
Posted by Doug Barney on April 24, 2007