Hi Larry,
Congrats on your new role over at Google. Thought I’d say hello and introduce myself. -Hey, by the way, I liked the shot of the three of you in the driverless car. Looks like you’re having fun over there already. Who can blame you considering the relatively balmy temps you all appear to be enjoying in Cali while I freeze my ass off in New York City. But hey, I’m not complaining.
Anyway, I’m a reporter/curator/ringmaster who concentrates his publication’s efforts on one part of your business – the move from buying placement to buying audience and it’s all fueled by solar systems of big data. The site is focused mostly on PC-based display ads today – which means your DoubleClick Ad Exchange juggernaut is featured often. Soon though, I can see your company addressing media across digital channels and offline, too, in pursuit of data-driven magic. But, I know you know all that as I’m pretty sure you and Neal Mohan have been talking…. God, if you haven’t, email him now!
Also, just so you know, I’m pretty sure Goog (do you guys call it “Goog” ever? I do. One syllable. Try it.) will take over the media world.
Now, I don’t say that take-over-the-world stuff to be a pain in the ass. It is inevitable unless you screw it up and decide to turn the whole search/mobile/tv/car thing into a big casual games portal. Can you imagine you suddenly raging one morning, “Scrap it all!!! We’re doing multi-player Mah-jongg!” All right, I’m joking. I am really sarcastic. You’ll find this out as we go along. Don’t get pissed though. I really think I’m funny and hope you do, too.
Anyway, since your company will take over the media world, you will become known as a “Media Titan.” Now, let’s be clear. I don’t think you’re in charge of the evil empire. Just because you’re a Titan does not make you evil. Lots of nice people over there at Goog. In fact, I’ve never met a jerk. Oh wait.. there was the guy who gave me the “evil eye” when I took the last of the cream for my espresso during my Goog last visit. What can I say? I like cream in my espresso.
So, in a few years, you should think of yourself as a much younger Sumner Redstone. This will be a different experience for you in comparison to your tech roots where Google has been an admirably, disruptive force like no other.
As a Media Titan, you will eventually need to own cool media properties with cool, differentiated content and all monetizing better than Snuggies in winter. If you don’t, your competitors will. And, media starts with people who have creative, media minds. A lot of these people are crazy. Trust me. I’ve seen ‘em. But they will drive the business and you will have to work with them. It won’t be like tech – at least not for another 50 years when the droids finally take over MTV (Oh man, that will be a good cartoon. Will send link.).
Creativity and ideas will need to be given room to grow, kinda like I guess you do with your technology today – like when you let people spend 20% of their time building the next whatever. But, it’s not about disruption this time really.. it’s more about… let’s call it “music” for the creative types. How do you make music, original music? It’s obtuse stuff. It will not be programmable (until the droids etc.). And the music will likely not come from people who’ve been to an elite Ivy League school, Stanford, Cal Tech, blah blah blah, either. Be careful of the soft stuff, Larry. I think that’s your trip wire. Maybe.
OK, gotta go. Congrats again. I’ll be back with more tips another time.
Best,
John
