Defiant artists who refused Google missed an opportunity.
The New York Times ran a piece this week about a group of artists that turned down a request to give away their work for free to Google. Google’s intention is to offer a myriad of art pieces to their Chrome web browser users as a skin to decorate the browser window. The quid pro quo for the artist is exposure of their name and work to millions of Google Chrome users. As much as I respect what the defiant artists are trying to do, they got it very wrong.
One of the most joked about ironies in the entertainment industry is that the really successful actors that are really wealthy don’t have to pay squat for those really nice clothes and jewels they wear on the red carpet. Everyone in fashion, from the dress to the panty designer, is constantly in a state of frenzied competition to get a celebrity to wear their designs. This type of exposure has a fantastic effect on raising awareness about their brand which is extremely helpful for selling outfits from their tawdry made-for-Wall-Mart clothing line. In fashion the money is made from heaps of sales of garments to average consumers who typically react to a familiar brand name that they might have heard associated with their favorite sex fantasy celebrity.
On the web, Google is a celebrity. The argument that the company should pay because they have more money than, well, everyone, is absurd when you consider the conditions of the offer. It’s an opportunity for mass exposure baby. Celebrity’s like Google have two forms of value, money and reach. Either one can be construed as valuable currency.
Underground artists like Zoltron, have achieved massive recognition by taking advantage of opportunities for free exposure. When I spoke to Zoltron about the Google offer he thought it good, “I say use my work, just give me credit.”
The group of artists that refused the deal and the ones that are joining them in solidarity are going to be find themselves in a forgotten cloister. I truly wish they had the opportunity to reconsider their position. Because as traditional print media avenues for work are withering, getting your name and work out to as many people as possible is paramount for expanding your brand name and hopefully finding new revenue streams.