Google has decided it would be a good idea to give away Gmail stickers. Some might ask “Why would I want Gmail stickers?” But others are certainly enthused about the idea. You can simply browse the comments on a site like GeekSugar to get that impression.
But seriously, why is Google giving away Gmail stickers? Well, “Not too long ago, one of the Gmail engineers broke out her vinyl cutter and made some Gmail m-velope stickers,” explains Gmail Product Marketing Manager Arielle Reinstein. “Pretty soon, they were pasted to our desks, stuck on our laptops, and adorning the walls around the office. Then other people started asking us about them — first it was just other Googlers. But when a guy I was sitting next to on an airplane asked where he could get a Gmail sticker, we realized other people might like them too.”
Well, that’s awful nice of them, but I would have to venture a guess and say they might be interested in the branding element of these stickers as well. Last I checked, Gmail was far below Yahoo Mail in terms of popularity, in one of the few areas where Yahoo actually has the advantage over them.
Perhaps this is a minor attempt to gain a little more awareness. To some of us, it seems like Gmail is so huge, there can’t possibly be people that aren’t aware of it, but trust me, there are. Although, the word Google appears to be absent from all of the stickers, so perhaps it is possible that branding isn’t much of a motivator for the stickers. But stickers are still a good branding tool either way.
Despite the reasons Google may or may not have for giving away Gmail stickers, the fact remains that they are available. To get your set of Gmail stickers, simply send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
Send me some Gmail stickers already
P.O. Box 391420
Mountain View, CA 94039-1420
They make it a point to say that your contact information won’t be maintained in anyway as a result of this, so you can rule out direct mail marketing as a reason.
