Call her ZaaSy... Zoom has become a verb, a meme, and a lifestyle. Despite that powerful brand clout, Zoom's latest service involves un-branding itself. Zoom will license its video conferencing tech to other apps. We're calling it Zoom-as-a-service.
A (pre) post-pandemic crisis... This past year, Zoom has been a coronaconomy star. In 2020, its sales quadrupled to a record $2.7B. In October, it notched a stunning $170B valuation as its stock soared. Since then, three vaccines have started rolling out — and Zoom shares have fallen ~40%. Now, Zoom's looking at other ways to grow.
Don't let brand drive ego... Sometimes, brands can do more for themselves by unbranding. Just look at Stripe: its brand is "invisible," but it just became America's most valuable startup. Brand recognition is key to consumer-facing businesses like Zoom. But companies can't let their ego get in the way of good opportunities. If Amazon forced Slack to stick "powered by Amazon" on its video calls, Slack might've passed. By setting aside its ego with Zaas, Zoom is giving itself a new post-pandemic growth opportunity.