Google Balloons: New Heights for Internet Connections

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By: Emory Brown

I always loved the power of balloons. There’s something very fascinating about them. Remember The Wizard of Oz? A whole new world was discovered in a balloon by a nutty scientist.

I think this tradition of brilliance is going on at Google with Project Loon, a brand effort to give the Internet to parts of the world where wires and other tech aren’t available. As they say at Google, “Loon for everyone.”

I thought Android was brilliant idea; a free operating system that is available on almost every phone in the world. Yet the Project Loon venture is destined to do great things in helping Google expand its reach in search and other products. Unbeknownst to those of us who aren’t truly immersed in Internet culture (except for social media purposes), two-thirds of the earth's population doesn’t have access to the Internet.

Yes, we are fortunate, because Google Maps is a staple in my household and losing search would be almost as terrible as losing a puppy. Project Loon is working to remedy this lack of Internet access by creating a balloon network that travels on the edge of space. No worries about a Southwest plane colliding with a balloon and destroying Internet connections. The network is designed to connect people in rural areas, fill coverage gaps, and help people get online after major disasters like Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans’ communication system for days on end.

What is ingenious about the whole thing is that Google is working with telecommunications companies across the planet to tap into their networks and share their cellular spectrum, which enables connection from phones and other LTE-enabled devices. No matter where you are on the planet, you can get your Internet on.

Now, the most brilliant thing about this is that in addition to helping generations of non-Internet-users experience the World Wide Web, Project Loon is working to truly make it worldwide. Furthermore, Google the brand is making an impression that will surpass its reputation for being one of the best search engines in the world. It will live up to its motto, “Do no evil,” by doing good for everyone.

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About the Author

Emory Brown is an award-winning creative director/writer whose mission is to spread the gospel of what great marketers can do when they put their heads together and work together for the greater good and not the bottom line. Working with many esteemed clients, his portfolio of work ranges in genre from conservative to ultra-modern including American Family Insurance, United Airlines, Mazda 6 and RX-8, Illinois Lottery, Tyson, Miller Genuine Draft, Nike Air Force 1, and Mercedes Benz, to name a few.

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