As the saying goes, opinions are like assholes; everyone has one. But not Google's executive suite these days. When Google restructured itself as the "Alphabet" holding company, the visionary IoT and science projects were moved out of Google division, and Indian-born Sundar Pichai was named CEO of the core Google company which handles search, Android, YouTube, and all the other high-volume IT stuff. And that's a good thing, according to a couple ex-Googlers interviewed by Re/code: "All the assholes have left" ; Pichai apparently has a rare blend of hard and soft skills.
At Google, this guy has moved upstairs. And apparently having a CEO who was a brilliant entrepreneur but also a complete jerk was hardly unique to Google, Steve Jobs being the canonical example among tech CEOs. We've recently learned about the way Jeff Bezos runs Amazon. An obvious question from these examples is, can an ambitious tech company rule the universe without being run by assholes?
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Monday October 26 2015, @09:05AM
Like yourself, I'm certain that some advertising is necessary. If no one has ever heard of my widget making company, then no one is going to put my widget on store shelves, and no one is going to buy my widget. But, where DO the economies become efficient?
Kellogg's for instance, could cut their advertising by 95%, since they are so well known already, and their brands would continue to sell forever. Kellogg's advertising almost certainly drives the price of their products up by 25%. Wasted money, IMHO.
(Score: 2) by Non Sequor on Monday October 26 2015, @01:04PM
Someone has to remind people that there are cereals other than the new chia seed and acai berry crunch or whatever.
Companies have assets and collectively society derives some benefits from those assets. At what point should the supply chain and production facilities for a cereal be shut down? Does promoting the cereal more actively change that point?
Everything in society is bargained to some extent and advertising reflects an aspect of that.
Write your congressman. Tell him he sucks.