…for its core property, search. And it’s pretty good (it’s a series of well produced ads, on YouTube, natch). I’ve predicted for some time that Google would have to start brand marketing itself, but so far I’ve only seen product marketing for Adwords or Android. This is the first time I’ve seen a real ad for Google.com search. See it below. (I noticed this because the teaser banner, above, was running tonight on my own site through Adsense…)
Watching the series (which were uploaded to YouTube two months ago), it strikes me that Google is being pretty thoughtful here about what its brand means, and how search is changing in both its interface and its usage, and the power it has to change lives. Many Google properties are referenced, including mobile search, maps, universal search, YouTube, and more.
Update: I’ve now seen this campaign on the NYT as well, roadblocked. It’s truly a brand campaign: Google is not selling anything here other than its own brand – that ephemeral sensibility that resides between its customers’ ears.
but so far I’ve only seen product marketing for Adwords or Android. This is the first time I’ve seen a real ad for Google.com search.
John, you apparently missed this branded play from 2005:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/funders/google.html
Here’s the direct link to the 15-second pure branded Google self-advertisement:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/funders/google_q_220.html
Do you suppose 2010 will be the year that all the world realizes that Google is just a brand name?
🙂 nmw
I really don’t expect any other companies to step up and really take on Google and until that happens I don’t see public perdeption changing much.
Love a simple, but direct post John. Even Google understands where it needs help, and I think this simple 60sec spot says a ton about how Google (and other fine Search Engines of course) can help simplify our life. I use Google everyday to eductae and inform myself. Used properly, it won’t be hazardous to your health 🙂 @TheRECoach
@hubert I would be surprised if nobody does step up and take them on. I think Bing was the first of many to attempt. I’d give it 10 years and I think they will be overthrown (don’t quote me… just a theory)
That’s almost exactly how I use Google, and notice how it has pretty much abstracted ‘spelling’ from the ask/answer flow. I wonder how k-12 and even college students study, acquire research these days. I graduated college in 1996, so the web wasn’t a robust knowledge base with such great semantic functions like today. I had to go to the “liberry”!
Saw this ad on the Super Bowl. One of the best of the afternoon in my opinion. Didn’t expect that, but after the influx of Bing ads surrounding their launch, it certainly seemed like Google had to do something mainstream. There you go. Sounds like they did plenty of preliminary testing on their own network, so I’m not surprised that they decided to go for the big game. Only wish they went all out like some of the others and had more than that one ad spot.
Wonder how much did search-on.com went up in value after this commercial!