Google Doesn't fall far from the Apple

We already live in a highly technological world seemingly run by two deities named Google and Apple. They've been praised for their innovation, sophistication, and seem to have an uncanny ability to know the answers to the test before it's given. In essence, they've simplified the complexities of life, many of which, we didn't even know we had.

Now they've applied this winning formula to commercial television. Companies of this size are typically courted by expensive ad agencies designed to make a Herculean profit in production fees for the creation of a :30 spot. They sell in the next "big idea" which typically involves an expensive director and splashy visual effects. But as their nature is to go against the grain, the respective CEOs of Google and Apple, Eric Schmidt and Steve Jobs, decided to leave the technical wizardry to themselves and chose copy which mirrored their products - - simplicity.

Apple was first. With the launch of the iPhone, they positioned this new product by displaying a pair of hands, manipulating the device to watch a movie, search for calamari, find a restaurant, and call for reservations all in a matter of seconds. Thirty seconds to be exact. They didn't include a spokesperson, or any visible actors. Just hands and a narrator. They eventually graduated to the 3G iPhone and managed to create a tagline that has become part of our vernacular by declaring that "there's an app for that." The commercial was a tutorial, fun, and most of all, simple.

Google took notice and this year, ran their very first Super Bowl ad. But what could Google say about themselves that already hasn't been said? The answer is...nothing. So they stuck to their bread and butter which is and always will be search. Entitled, "Parisian Love", they showed how a man, through Google, could research studying abroad in Paris, translate French, buy chocolates for a girl at a cafe, find a church for a Parisian wedding, and finally get help assembling a crib. Now who knew that you could do all that without leaving your computer? In reality, we all did. We've all been using Google for years. But it never hurts to get a refresher. Especially when it easily resonates with the user.

At the core of Apple and at the epicenter of Google lies a basic tenet in life. You're never too good to remind people just how good you are. Now that's something we can all understand.