In light of the recent power shuffle at Google, I think this Saturday Night Live (SNL) clip featuring Mark Zuckerberg is important. Just hang with me for a few moments.
This SNL Appearance Represents an Important and Implicit, Market Signal. Zuckerberg and Facebook are accelerating the public relations momentum leading to the upcoming Facebook IPO. The subtle, market signal Zuckerberg and Facebook are sending:
Mark Zuckerberg Will be a More Visible and More Marketing/Public Relations Savvy CEO than Larry Page.
Here's my short list supporting my market signal hypothesis:
1. Zuckerberg is capitalizing on the the recent, real-time public relations momentum pre-IPO.
Time Magazine selected Zuckerberg as its Person Of The Year. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (aka The Oscars) nominated The Social Network and Jesse Eisenberg for Best Picture and Best Actor respectively.
Give Zuckerberg credit for putting himself out in a high-profile situation like SNL. And remember, Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal of Zuckerberg in The Social Network is brutal.
Is Zuckerberg noticeably stilted and uncomfortable in the SNL cold open? Yes. Did he know this appearance on a such a high profile stage leaves him vulnerable to significant public scrutiny and criticism? Yes.
But, he had the guts and courage to do it anyway. And, with more practice and exposure to similar situations, Zuckerberg will get better. As a mid-twenties leader and visionary, he'll get more opportunities.
2. This high profile appearance is a subtle public relations shot at Google and Larry Page.
Page is a notoriously private person who historically loathes investing time/financial resources into marketing/public relations. Ken Auletta, author of Googled, reconfirms my opinion in his New Yorker article discussing why Eric Schmidt stepped down at Google. Mr. Auletta's is the authority on the Google mindset. If you're interested in learning more about Mr. Auletta's Google insights, here's my post discussing Mr. Auletta's interview with Charlie Rose about Google and Mr. Auletta's book.
Zuckerberg carefully selected this particular media appearance (just as Steve Jobs carefully selected his appearances before/after his publicly disclosed illness). Here's Steve Jobs' now mythical 2005 Stanford Commencement Address. Don't tell me Mr. Jobs didn't carefully select this venue / moment at this particular stage in his life:
3. A pre-IPO, Facebook supplants Google as the cutting edge Silicon Valley place-to-be.
Silicon Valley's brightest engineering talent wants a shot at wealth and riches too. They can achieve that by joining Facebook. The opportunity to achieve that once-in-a-lifetime dream shot is gone at Google.
Facebook continues stepping up its efforts to attract/recruit the brightest in Silicon Valley talent – at Google's expense. Here are two articles from The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times:
- The Wall Street Journal: Google to Give Staff 10% Raise
- The New York Times: Google Grows and Works to Retain Nimble Minds
Furthermore, review this video. Who do you think Facebook wants to attract? Sounds an awful lot like the engineering talent Google used to easily attract and retain:
Conclusion
The Google-Facebook rivalry will intensify. This rivalry will touch every aspect of our online, media lives (desktop, mobile, publishing, entertainment, etc.).
- Who will emerge as the winner.
- Who will emerge as the next Apple.
- Who will emerge as the next Steve Jobs (Zuckerberg or Page).
Who do you think it will be?
And, somewhere deep down inside, Steve Jobs must be smiling …