Lawrence Gee | Marketing, Internet, Creativity, Strategy

Say Goodbye to the PC as We Know It

It’s interesting to think how quickly something can get replaced.  If you look over the past twenty years or so, there are many examples of dominant technology that quickly faded away due to an emerging one.

Think about typewriters and word processors and how the PC eliminated that industry. 

Think about VHS and Betamax video cassettes and now how DVDs have revolutionized home videos.

Think about how tape cassettes then CDs and now MP3s/iTunes have become the de facto music standard.

But what’s next?  Is there something that we take for granted that we use everyday that quickly might be eliminated?  A couple examples come to mind:

• Say goodbye to the PC, Microsoft Windows, and MS Office - Who needs to purchase an operating system and business tools if you can get the same functionality from online versions.  Could the future be a box or terminal that merely provides access to the web?  Google certainly sees this and thus is providing more and more online applications and storage.  The quality and functionality is getting quite good as well.  If you haven’t already, check out Google Docs & Spreadsheets and other similiar online programs — you’ll see why Microsoft is scared and falling behind.
• Landline telephones - It’s amazing how many people have cell phones today.   I remember in my undergraduate days, very few people had one.  If you did own one, they were quite bulky and expensive.  People bought them for emergencies and the convenience of not having to use a pay phone.  You never thought of not having a phone at home.  If you had asked someone to name companies that made telephones you’d get names like Panasonic, Uniden, GE, etc.  They had a stranglehold on the home phone.  Today with today’s youth, you’d be hardpressed to find aided brand recognition for these companies and phones.  In several more years will children even know what a landline is?

The key for companies today is to anticipate what might become and not be today blinded by today.  Look at the kings of industries that seemingly overnight get overthrown.  Look at history and the many examples of great leaders, dynasties, countries, etc. who lose it all because they ignore the signs.  Don’t forget that change is inevitable.

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About Me

Originally hailing from Long Island, I currently reside in Los Angeles, California.  I am an experienced marketer with a diverse professional background.  I have a BS in Business Management and Marketing from Cornell University and an MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business.

My marketing career path has been varied and diverse.  It began in consumer products as a Field Marketer for Newell Rubbermaid, managing in-store relationships and merchandising for products such as Rubbermaid, Levolor, and Sharpie.

I have always been fascinated by technology and the Internet.  In fact, several college internships were spent dealing with web design rather than Marketing.  It was only fitting that post-Newell Rubbermaid, I spent four years at an online educational software startup called Aplia.  As Marketing Manager, I helped grow Aplia from a beta product to having over 450,000 students and 500 institutions use the software.  My role required me to develop integrated marketing campaigns, plan sales demos and events at higher education conferences, dive headfirst into CRM and database management, deal with shoe-string budgets, and build up word of mouth marketing.

My time at USC Marshall was spent on exploring my personal development, continuing lifelong education, and realigning my career goals.  In 2006, I investigated the world of Brand Management and was selected to attend the prestigious Procter & Gamble Summer Marketing MBA Camp and the Johnson & Johnson Brand Mini Camp. While traditional CPG companies were interesting, my explorations made me realize that I enjoy working in smaller, technology focused environments.

Currently, I am an Internet Marketing Manager for LAMPS PLUS, #139 on the Internet Retailer Top 500 Retail Web Site List.   Some of my responsibilities include managing two SEM analysts, optimizing and managing paid search campaigns and shopping comparison site datafeeds, providing strategic recommendations for our online business, and evaluating new initiatives like social media marketing opportunties.

In my spare time, I am working on several pet projects dealing primarily with affiliate marketing, search engine optimization, and search engine marketing.  The purpose of this blog is to offer an outlet to collect my thoughts on marketing, strategy, and technology.

On the personal side, I’ve been happily married since July 2008. In my free time, I am an avid sports fan (Yankees, Knicks, Dodgers, Lakers) and enjoy outdoor activities such as running, hiking, and triathlons.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog.  Please feel free to comment on any postings or drop me a note at larry@lawrencegee.com.

–Larry

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