Google Stole My Tagline!
Ramblings, Web May 9th, 2007<disclaimer>I work for NextSTAT. I am NOT an impartial bystander</disclaimer>
For a company whose unofficial slogan is “don’t be evil” Google has just made their most evil, diabolical move to date. THEY STOLE MY (employer’s) TAGLINE! So what gives Goog? I let slide the fact that your cookies don’t expire until 2038. I turned a blind eye when you purchased Urchin and gave away the service for free (future blog post incoming on this one). I pretended I didn’t hear the news that you wanted to buy DoubleClick. But this…this has gone too far!
Allow me to introduce my evidence:
Exhibit A: The NextSTAT logo that has been around for at least 2 years. Note the TM appearing next to the logo and tagline.
Exhibit B: A screenshot from the Google Analytics product tour.
“the next generation web analytics tool”? I cry foul! That’s my line…and you stole it! I demand justice! Can you tell from my excessive use of exclamation marks that I’m morally outraged?
Google, as much as I enjoy your well-engineered products (especially Google Reader <3 <3), I can no longer remain silent in the face of your evil deeds. My blog, and the 13 people who have ever read it, will fight you to the bitter end**.
That is all.
** Jon Gale has not received the support of his blog audience in his crusade against the evil-doings of Google.
May 10th, 2007 at 8:50 am
I love when you stand up to injustice. It’s hot.
May 10th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Sheesh, Suz. Get a room.
May 10th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Technically, marketing and analytics “tooling” isn’t EXACTLY the same thing. Marketing people tend to put the headache in the buyers court; whereas, analytical tool people tend to take on the headache themselves. Marketing people tend to sleep better at night and still make the sale in the end. Analytical tool people often have to take lots of medications, caffeine, and endure sleep deprivation. This will often cost “tool people” some potential sales unless they are willing to take a price break in the end. Perhaps Google thinks this is fiscally- sound risk?!?!? Perhaps they don’t mind losing some money on this tagline campaign — obviously aimed directly at you! Well, when your tagline ends up being totally successful and theirs falls flat (mostly on the ability of your noted readers to distinguish the difference between marketing and analytical “tooling”) you will have won your cause! Or maybe its just that you ARE really hot?!?!? Suz usually isn’t wrong.
May 11th, 2007 at 11:17 am
Um, dude….. I think they are completely different.
May 11th, 2007 at 11:27 am
@Grant
You must be crazy! Change the word “analytics” to “Marketing” and upper-case a few other words…you end up with the exact same tagline! It’s so obvious (to me).
@Mom-in-law
Good points all…thanks for the comment.
@Atticus
Hush you! We’re all about the PDA.
@Suz
So how about the “get a room” suggestion from Atticus? *wink* *wink*?
May 11th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
@ hubby
/blush