Google's wish to breakout from web browser advertising

Google's new-style advertising takes a back seat -- at least temporarily -- to assist GM's Saturn division in a new advertising campaign. In other words Google is trying with small baby steps to jump out of the shadow it has as an advertiser whose sole window to the world are those small text ads next to Internet searches. With Google trying to crack the television and radio worlds it's quite apparent that the Internet search leader wants to conquer advertising outside of the web browser.

Google is partnering with General Motors so that visitors to a variety of Saturn-based websites in six cities around the U.S. will be able to click on a typical-looking banner ad that will, when clicked, produce a view of the earth that zooms in on one of the 22 Saturn dealerships nearest to the computer user. That is a pretty good example of interactive advertising, yes?

Google, whose aim I've said is to become the world's largest advertising network, is going after traditional marketers who see Google as an Internet search company that makes money from ads, but not as a full-service advertising agency able to reach potential customers using multiple venues. Will Google be able to convince large-scale advertisers to use its services to reach consumers? How about Procter & Gamble? Pepsi? Frito-Lay? Only time will tell, but with Google's runaway success in the Internet search arena in the last four years or so, it stands to gain handsomely if it can reach customers for ad clients in unobtrusive and relevant ways.

http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/09/22/googles-wish-to-advertise-outside-the-web-browser/