Zugme And Microsoft – Great Minds Think Alike?

By Author: Younus Javaid
Total Articles: 2
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About a month ago, in April 2013, a new video was posted on YouTube talking about a new social media network called Zugme. A network that brings together people of all color, age and gender while allowing members to see only content that they wish to see and decide what and who to share it with. The tagline of this new social media is “All people. One media” and it seems to describe it really well.

My take on Zugme is that it is a well thought and executed platform. As a frequent user of social media, I really liked the blogging opportunities it offers. It pushed the limits from regular blogging you are used to find on Google+, Tumbler and so on. What Zugme did differently is implementing a two-dimensional concept where content is tied to a topic and/or a geographical place (a city). The entire public content is somehow linked allowing bloggers to be part of the traffic. Speaking of blogging, I was super excited to see the audio blogging, which in my opinion will change how social media works. Thank you Zugme. I wonder if Facebook and Google+ will wake up and ‘borrow’ that concept from Zugme.

Another feature ...
... I really like is that you can set your language preferences so I don’t get bothered with the content written in languages I do not understand. On the other hand, those of us who speak multiple languages, like me, can enjoy seeing the posts in its original language. Thank you for that too.

Enough of me telling you what Zugme is. Do some research on your own. I wanted to tell you about this video and idea behind it.

Zugme introductory video starts with the words “Imagine a social media when you, I, and other people share information about almost anything but see what matters to each of us…” The 30 seconds spot ends with the words “Stop imagining. Experience it now. See you at Zugme.com”

Not more than a month later, Microsoft, the huge behemoth, came out with a new video of their own which was posted on YouTube as well to advertise their new tablet called Surface. Now, it is a completely different (cool) product, which is meant to do other things, but surprisingly it starts with the words: ”Imagine you only had to carry one device. A device with the speeding capability of a laptop but the size and touch of a tablet…”
And how does it end?
“Now stop imagining. Click in to Microsoft Surface. One device that lets you do so much more.”
Really? The same concept? Almost the same wording? Hey, Zugme! You are in good company when Microsoft thinks the same way you do.

I wonder what the account executives in the world of “Mad Men” would have to say in a situation like that? Would they say that “Imitation is the greatest form of flattery”? Or would they say that “Great minds think alike”?