Can Large Corporations Buy "Cool?"

TobyToadstool writes "With the recent news that NBC and News Corp. will launch a YouTube rival, CNet asks: Can big corporations buy the zeitgeist or will they inevitably screw up? CNet calls the new wannabe 'Me Too Tube.' The article looks at companies trying to buy their way into user-generated content. Quoting: 'There is something incredibly boring and sad about giant companies who constantly chase the fleeing tailcoats of the latest Internet trends. Like the kid who [leaned] over and copied you in art class, News Corp./NBC are the archetypal corporation — lumbering and so very uncool.'"

Comments

Re:Of course they can, corporation != uncool

[otacon]

Right but the article says can a corporation buy "cool". I think apple, at least Steve Jobs was/is cool, in that respect...Look at when apple emerged they were cutting edge with home PC's(I've seen Pirates of Silicon Valley too many times). Then look at the late 80's early 90's when Steve Jobs wasn't there, they almost went out of business, then Steve returned and you get iMac, iPod, OSX, iPhone, and whatever "hip" stuff they've come out with in the last 10 years.