Google Glass. It’s the wave of the future, straight out of a sci-fi movie. Wearable technology they’re calling it. The headset allows users to access a variety of web-based technologies through a heads-up display. Imagine it, you’re walking down the street and you see a cool poster. No need to pull out your mobile, just say “take photo” and, as if by magic, you have a picture of exactly what you’re seeing. How cool is that! But hold on a sec, doesn’t this all seem a tad unrealistic. That’s exactly what the skeptics are saying. Just like the early days of computers, mobile phones and the internet, the device is likely to be clunky and plagued with bugs. And not to mention how unresponsive voice technology still is (do I need to mention Siri). But it’s still exciting nonetheless, well, at least I’m excited.

So where does marketing come into this story? Well, with the inception of Project Glass, Google is facing a challenge it never has before. It has to figure out how to market a product. Google is primarily in the business of services, its search engine being a prime example. The  marketing strategy for a product is typically very different than the marketing strategy for a service. This is due to the tangibility of products. Consumers can actually touch Google Glass, adding a whole new dimension to the marketing mix. And let’s not forget that Google’s services are free (well most of them) and available through their website. Now that consumers will be paying hundreds of dollars for a physical item, Google has to determine its retailing strategy. Is it going to open a brick-and-mortar store, sell through other retailers, or create an online store? It’s anyone’s guess at this point.

Google has some serious challenges on its hands with Project Glass. How they face these challenges will ultimately make or break the project and alter their brand image forever.

This blog post was inspired by a post on the Canadian Marketing Association’s blog. Check it out here: CMA Blog