Can Large Corporations Buy "Cool?"

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday March 27, 2007 @07:20AM from the schmiral dept.

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.'"

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Yes... it just takes time by spiritraveller · 2007-03-27 09:15 · Score: 4, Interesting

Case in point: Nike tried for years to get into the skateboard shoe industry... an industry which has been dominated by smaller companies since its inception.

At first, they failed miserably. But with each attempt, they learned a little bit more about how the subculture worked.

Now they probably sell more "skateboarding shoes" than any other company.

Of course, all they've done is buy the mind-share of young people through some adept marketing... but is there any difference between that and "buying cool?"