Seated in front of the world (virtually) during a House Judiciary Committee antitrust hearing, the CEOs of the richest technology companies on the planet offered a window into their “offices” on Wednesday. It appears all design resources are being saved for websites and products.
The hearing was a unique opportunity to hear from Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Apple’s Tim Cook, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Google’s Sundar Pichai. The CEOs were in the hot seat. The hot seat just looked like it was in a garage or suburban home office.
Apple stores are a design-infused mecca for fans of the tech giant’s iPhones, iMacs and other products. The company built a massive “spaceship” as its new HQ. On Wednesday, Cook sat in front of some wilty plants, stuck in front of what looked like a makeshift room partition. Someone get a bowl of apples.
The Google homepage often features inspiring illustrations known as “Google Doodles” highlighting important dates in history. Someone should have doodled a more inspiring backdrop for the CEO. The sideboard behind Pichai featured a few vases, a plant that was probably fake and purchased at IKEA and a stack of wimpy books that may have been assembled 30 seconds before air time. While there was a textured wall piece, did no one think a Google Home smart speaker would have made sense? “Hey Google, play something soothing.”
Someone told Zuckerberg all tech companies get started in a garage — and it looks like he stayed there 16 years into Facebook’s reign as social media powerhouse. Or maybe it’s a horse barn and he’s just rubbing it in when it comes to how rich he is.
Bezos, who finally got a question thrown his way after the committee came back from a break, was seated in front of a bookcase that appeared to have almost no books in it. This is not an unsubstantial home-decor lapse for a guy who became the richest person on the planet based on an idea to SELL BOOKS. Guess this Bezos lair won’t be showing up on Bookcase Credibility. There were a couple vases, maybe a trophy? For a space geek, this space could have used a little Blue Origin rocket model.
Twitter was not at the hearing, but users had plenty to say on the platform about what was unfolding on television. Here’s the verdict from “Room Rater”:
Love the texture. Great composition. The vase and plant are perfect. Strong 9/10. It would be a ten with more color. @sundarpichai pic.twitter.com/5F2EPzKaWG
— Room Rater (@ratemyskyperoom) July 29, 2020
Tim Apple needs some work. Plants help but that wall needs a patch. Of art. Depth would help, too. 7/10 @tim_cook pic.twitter.com/VitqU7J2av
— Room Rater (@ratemyskyperoom) July 29, 2020
Hostage video. Putin has not released him but has allowed him to loosen tie. That’s nice. 2/10 @finkd pic.twitter.com/6zhltrPTxd
— Room Rater (@ratemyskyperoom) July 29, 2020
Back off the soft focus. Add books. Remember books? Order a couple ring lights. Here’s one. You gave it 4.5 stars. You get 6/10. @JeffBezos pic.twitter.com/X2H8dB0aeX
— Room Rater (@ratemyskyperoom) July 29, 2020
And some other chatter across the web:
— Anna Wiener (@annawiener) July 29, 2020
is this bothering anyone else pic.twitter.com/AZ4fUtIno6
— Ryan Mac ? (@RMac18) July 29, 2020
Please add your own rules to today’s drinking game. A shot every time…
– Zuckerberg: “We have more work to do…”
– Cook: “Greatest products”
– Bezos: “Customer”
– Pichai: “Information”— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) July 29, 2020
The committee just took a break because one of the most powerful tech CEOs in the world is having technical difficulties
— The Verge (@verge) July 29, 2020
Committee has now (no joke) spent more time questioning Dorsey, who is not there, than Bezos.
— Scott Galloway (@profgalloway) July 29, 2020
Jeff Bezos hasn't been asked a single question by Congress yet, so the world's richest man is having a snack… pic.twitter.com/zMZ4iEuHyY
— Claire Reilly (@reillystyley) July 29, 2020