Live data from Hacker News

Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" on Google Japan

google.co.jp

1–10 of 49 posts

Re: Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" on Google Japan

#3
post #2

For those that are wondering: today (Sept. 5th) Freddy Mercury would turn 65. It's also absolutely amazing, I recommend you to watch it in it's entirety. (I think it's also no longer Japan only, it was on .pl and .com for me also, but YMMV.)

Presumably it's appearing on various domains as those countries move into the fifth.

Edit: blog says that it's appearing in the US on the 6th. http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/happy-birthday-freddi...

Re: Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" on Google Japan

#5
post #2

For those that are wondering: today (Sept. 5th) Freddy Mercury would turn 65. It's also absolutely amazing, I recommend you to watch it in it's entirety. (I think it's also no longer Japan only, it was on .pl and .com for me also, but YMMV.)

You can watch it on youtube here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX2BQM0D01M

Re: Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" on Google Japan

#6

Cool as Freddy was, let's not forget these are ads for google - would he have wanted his image used to shill for a giant corporation?

Versus a small corporation? Or versus his image not being used at all?

It is a tribute, with at least some degree of creativity and effort put into making the video. I don't see this being exploited to gain Google any more users than, let's be honest, they would have anyway. Especially since it is on Google Japan, I would anticipate people going to the main page, watching the video, and then not even performing a search. And in instances where that does occur, Google is gaining nothing financially from something which, again, is a creative tribute.

I don't really see it as shilling at all.

Re: Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" on Google Japan

#7
On the subject of Japan and Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now", here's another curiousity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTo-wFfIXKo

Somebody took a copy of Super Mario World for the Super Nintendo and hex-edited the levels so that instead of requiring a human player, the game's built-in physics propels Mario through the level. And, the levels were designed so that the various sound effects caused by Mario stomping on and bumping into things vaguely approximate the music to Don't Stop Me Now. AND four entirely different levels were created, each attempting to reproduce the part of some particular member of Queen. AND they occasionally sync up for the more spectactular parts of the song.

Re: Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" on Google Japan

#8
post #6

Cool as Freddy was, let's not forget these are ads for google - would he have wanted his image used to shill for a giant corporation?

Versus a small corporation? Or versus his image not being used at all? It is a tribute, with at least some degree of creativity and effort put into making the video. I don't see this being exploited to gain Google any more users than, let's be honest, they would have anyway. Especially since it is on Google Japan, I would anticipate people going to the main page, watching the video, and then not even performing a sea…

How many times does the google logo appear in various forms during the "tribute"? If you don't think google gains anything financially from this, then you don't understand how advertising works.

Re: Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" on Google Japan

#9
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Versus a small corporation? Or versus his image not being used at all? It is a tribute, with at least some degree of creativity and effort put into making the video. I don't see this being exploited to gain Google any more users than, let's be honest, they would have anyway. Especially since it is on Google Japan, I would anticipate people going to the main page, watching the video, and then not even performing a sea…

How many times does the google logo appear in various forms during the "tribute"? If you don't think google gains anything financially from this, then you don't understand how advertising works.

Some how I just can't imagine that a meeting took place "now, how can we capitalise on this"...

Re: Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" on Google Japan

#10
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Versus a small corporation? Or versus his image not being used at all? It is a tribute, with at least some degree of creativity and effort put into making the video. I don't see this being exploited to gain Google any more users than, let's be honest, they would have anyway. Especially since it is on Google Japan, I would anticipate people going to the main page, watching the video, and then not even performing a sea…

How many times does the google logo appear in various forms during the "tribute"? If you don't think google gains anything financially from this, then you don't understand how advertising works.

Given that Brian May wrote a guest blog post on Google's official blog today (http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/happy-birthday-freddi...), I think that at least Brian May thinks that Freddie would've been ok with it.

Yes, this "advertises" Google, but why can't it also be a celebration of Freddie Mercury's life?

I really dislike the idea that every corporate gesture should have a sinister undertone...

Post reply on HN