When Less is More.
This post is about Alphabet Investor Relations. How they choose to communicate. Reading their short announcement, is a classic example of less is more.
The announcement, or the landing page, carries Alphabet Investor Relations logo, communicating Larry Page’s statement, which after I have finsihed reading, excited me to click on more to continue. Yet, it was not as exciting as the landing page, hence, less in this case is more.
It reminded me of the AI Emotional Pitch, and its relation to digital marketing practices, as well as corporate social responsibility. As I believe identifying conscious boundaries was missing while developing their brands. And…supporting nonprofits groups to support the rights of minority groups to adopt practices, do not equal the damage from their products. Therefore, this is not charity as their announcement claimes in my opinion, but a cover up to distract our attention from the root cause. It is actually referred to as the TBL in Grewal & Levy’s Greater Marketing Greater Purpose* for economic, social, and environmental performance.
Yet, the announcement from Larry was a bit vague. For example, knowing the depth of technology and the reason of its booming as one of the fastest leading industries in this era, what was the meaning when he wrote you need to be a bit uncomfortable to stay relevant? And more specifically, before a paragraph that indicates their companies overtime tend to get comfortable doing the same thing?
I also have some concerns relating to their health efforts; life sciences that works on glucose-sensing contact lens, as well as Calico for longevity. Both to me seems unconscious expansion, or a dangerous model. And, judging from their privacy policy terms, as well as the focus on financial opportunities without raising the same level of ethics and responsibility. Wouldn’t that create a disconnect in societies if such intelligence was under the wrong hands? And don’t we all know higher technology demands higher ethics, and higher conscious? Our generation, if anyone noticed, do not want boundaries to be stretched more, nor crazy ideas to be repeated as Larry described YouTube in the announcement.
I believe a good innovation that provides financial opportunities, does not need to exploit humans as products. Otherwise it is considered slavery branded as modern growth.
What I would have recommended for the communication department or to Larry, is to be authentic in the letter rather than being politically right. The excitement referred to at the end of the letter, what is the long-term view you stated? I think people would like to know.
How are you empowering companies to flourish? Who are those companies, and who is considered a great entrepreneur? Are we really improving transparency? What were the outcome of the overside?
And as a result of all this, how exactly are you improving lives?
Having answers to these questions, would create a bond or loyalty with the newly named company, or at least with its meaning, language-bets.
References:
*Grewal & Levy, Evergreen Release 2024, University of Denver, Marketing, McGraw Hill, Marketing Greater Purpose, P127
