The concept video below is the sequel technology ad to the viral hit of 2011 that Corning released to update their vision of how society will move to a pervasive information-enabled world with the medium to usher in such a transition being . . . glass. The previous video, called A Day Made of Glass… Made possible by Corning, imagined every nook and cranny of our lives where information might be useful, and inserted it into the everyday objects of our surroundings through its technology innovation in glass. Windows, mirrors, countertops, desks, dashboards, storefronts, displays, and traffic signs become miraculously interactive through the veneer of glass (and seemingly-invisible cameras that are present to capture almost any viewing angle).
The ubiquitous placement of an iPhone-like device (although now thinned and hollowed to just a glass sheet in a frame resembling the real thing) is key to the point that the technology-marketing video tries to emphasize that we are already “there” so to speak. That is, the technology for existing devices is just a heartbeat away from realizing this incredibly efficient world of ubiquitous and unobtrusive access to the information we need – more on this later.
Fast forward another year, with the new video below, aptly titled, “A Day Made of Glass 2: Same Day. Expanded Corning Vision,” adding a healthy dose of tablets everywhere and more creative blurring of the technical limitations in the technology ad. The tagline states, “Enabling a Future of Communication, Collaboration, and Connectivity.” I am not questioning the utility or merits of a dynamic world benefiting from the technology innovation of information-imbued glass here, I only intend to consider the technical feasibility and economic viability of their vision in order to understand Corning’s branding strategy and IP positioning through these technology-marketing vehicles.
Corning seems to have known that it was a bit half-baked to stretch the glass vision so far without providing some sort of caveat. That appears to be why they have released a companion video with the new one called, A Day Made of Glass 2: Unpacked. The Story Behind Corning’s Vision. I’ll touch on my salient points in critiquing the technology ad with their disclaimers in mind and referenced as their rebuttal. In the companion video, the speaker (let’s call him Guy) says, “I’ll be your guide. Along the way we’ll pause to examine some of the technologies displayed, and I’ll describe what’s possible and what’s not.”
