Google Places Image Ad in Search Results!

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July 16, 2007

Google Places Image Ad in Search Results!

You thought you would never see it, an image or interactive ad on a Google search results page. But it is here, finally.

A search for jason bourne has an ad at the top of the page, with an image, that contains a "Watch the movie trailer" link.

Here is a screen capture:

Clicking on the ad takes you to http://www.searchforbourne.com/. Clicking on "watch the movie trailer" shows this video embedded directly in the search results.

Marrisa Mayer of Google, did suggest this might happen in the future. But I am still very shocked.

Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.

Postscript: Google has done something like this in the past, Danny covered it with NBC Scores Graphical Ads/Promos On Google in 2006.

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posted rustybrick in Google AdWords at July 16, 2007 8:26 AM Comments (5)

Comments

The trailers at the movies reference http://www.google.com/bourne so this shouldn't be a shock.

Posted by Brian Mark at July 16, 2007 10:57

I'm not surprised by this, it's part of the Google evolution.

Check out my thoughts on the future and predictions of Google and Online video.

Advertising is next --but with video.

Check out my thoughts
http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2007/07/08/predictions-about-google-and-online-video/

Posted by Jeremiah Owyang at July 16, 2007 16:02

A bit of a surprise here from Google's side but at 77 we don't think this is going to be a standard. Google has been closely linked to The Bourne Ultimatum since the start of the campaign, and we expect this to be a one-time-special to promote their own project.
Providing special services for their partners might give them a foot-in when trying to convince other companies to collaborate.

Posted by Anthon-Pieter Wink at July 17, 2007 04:26

I'm not sure its an "image ad" as such... I've searched for "the bourne ultimatum" and got no ads, purely just the image at the top.

I noticed in the top right corner of the blue ad field it says "Google Promotion" rather than "Sponsored links"

Cool though!

Posted by Darren at July 17, 2007 09:15

They will likely be doing the same thing with retail products as my post on Google ecommerce gadgets outlines (hint: they ask for permission to show you the gadget on the main google.com site when you add the gadget to iGoogle). http://www.getelastic.com/google-checkout-ecommerce-gadget/

Posted by Jason Billingsley at July 17, 2007 15:24

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