When running for President JFK gave people buttons, had them run call centers and letter campaigns, and anointed them block leaders. Many people think the sole value was what these people produced (letters, phone calls, pamphlets etc), but at least as much it was making the people themselves strong Kennedy advocates. It gave people a chance to be involved and stand for something; they became strong unpaid advocates that had influence on and access to their personal network of family in friends in a way no radio spot or ad in the paper could possibly rival. That's how "the establishment" starts a grassroots movement.
How does this relate to Google? Beyond the mass appeal of any power-to-the-people message, if you write your own app (and even just knowing that you could), even if it's shit (and most of these will be), you feel like you're on the Team Google. This is just one more brilliant way Google is building itself into a ubiquitous, and well received, cultural force.
When running for President JFK gave people buttons, had them run call centers and letter campaigns, and anointed them block leaders. Many people think the sole value was what these people produced (letters, phone calls, pamphlets etc), but at least as much it was making the people themselves strong Kennedy advocates. It gave people a chance to be involved and stand for something; they became strong unpaid advocates that had influence on and access to their personal network of family in friends in a way no radio spot or ad in the paper could possibly rival. That's how "the establishment" starts a grassroots movement.
How does this relate to Google? Beyond the mass appeal of any power-to-the-people message, if you write your own app (and even just knowing that you could), even if it's shit (and most of these will be), you feel like you're on the Team Google. This is just one more brilliant way Google is building itself into a ubiquitous, and well received, cultural force.