Google+, Jennifer Government and Johnny Reggae

Google+ won't let Brands have pages, and this is upsetting the e-Marketeers, poor things - an Open Letter from Danny Sullivan :

Hey Google, I'd say I know you're all new to the social game and should be forgiven that you have messed up with how to handle brands here so badly. Except, you're not new.

For one, you know that Twitter and Facebook both support brands, and that there would obviously be demand for this here. You failed to implement that support. Bad on you.

I know it's all "field trial," but that's not really an excuse, given that you knew -- had to know -- this would happen.

Worse, you gave no clue that Google Profiles were suddenly changed to bar non-humans from using them. Before Google+ came along, this wasn't a problem. I know. I remember Google Buzz, when plenty of brands, including our own +SEL on Google Buzz account, started up.

No one said a word against this. No one told us not to do it. So when Google+ happened, no one had any idea the rules had changed - and especially changed for Google Profiles which are a superset of Google+.

IE, plenty of profiles that have nothing to do with Google+ but which are for businesses were suddenly made outdated.

I know you have great plans to have super wonderful business profiles eventually. But if you're going to only let a "tiny" number of businesses operate before that, then you taint them and yourselves with favoritism.

At least when you announced applications for business profiles, there was a sense that anyone interested would have some type of a fair shot. Now that's gone.

Don't try to put the genie back in the bottle. Restore the business profiles you have closed. Drop the rule you silently added that blocks business profiles. Let businesses use profiles here just as regular people do. Works just fine on Twitter. Then upgrade those accounts when you're ready

Two things we would note - one serious, one not:

(i) Facebook also tried the same approach initially (Broadstuff blog was thrown off Facebook when they tried to persuade advertisers that all avatars were individuals) but eventually gave in to the lure of lucre, no doubt Google will do the same - once it works out how the House wins the game.

(ii) In the interim we suggest Brands followthe example set in the book Jennifer Government,and force all their employees to change their surnames to the company name and take out Google+ accounts. We eagerly await Google+ accounts from Johnny Reggae Reggae Sauce, Jenny Colgate-Palmolive, Steve Microsoft and Charles Schwab (now that's clever -naming your company after yourself - such anticipation!). In fact one could go further and change name to actual products too - Dave iPad, Toni .

Spot the serious one

...and just beware of the unfortunate combinations - you know, the Wayne King, Mike Hunt etc equivalents (examples in the comments section please, there will be points, and points mean prizes)