Random Culture

Another Google Movie Promotion

The recent Da Vinci Code Quest on Google marked one of the first times Google "teamed up" with an advertiser outside of search or contextual ads. Google also recently teamed up with Nike to create the Joga.com soccer community. I speculated about whether we'd see more of this in the future, and I was wrong. Google is definitely pursuing more of these relationships, and seems to be developing a "thing" for Hollywood.

In this latest promotion, Google has teamed up with The Breakup. On the Google Video site, you can upload your own "breakup" video and get it featured on Google Video, or on the Google Video Blog.

Link via Micropersuasion.

Another Google Movie Promotion

The recent Da Vinci Code Quest on Google marked one of the first times Google "teamed up" with an advertiser outside of search or contextual ads. Google also recently teamed up with Nike to create the Joga.com soccer community. I speculated about whether we'd see more of this in the future, and I was wrong. Google is definitely pursuing more of these relationships, and seems to be developing a "thing" for Hollywood.

In this latest promotion, Google has teamed up with The Breakup. On the Google Video site, you can upload your own "breakup" video and get it featured on Google Video, or on the Google Video Blog.

Link via Micropersuasion.

Google Trends Launches!

Google has launched a pretty cool new product called "Google Trends." The service allows you to compare multiple search terms against one another in terms of search volume.

Check out this sample trend search. In your face television advertising!

Link via TechCrunch.

Google Trends Launches!

Google has launched a pretty cool new product called "Google Trends." The service allows you to compare multiple search terms against one another in terms of search volume.

Check out this sample trend search. In your face television advertising!

Link via TechCrunch.

Google Promoting DaVinci Code

In an unprecedented move, Google has teamed up with Sony Pictures to promote the upcoming DaVinci Code movie. The promotion involves adding a DaVinci Code widget to your personalized Google homepage, where players are prompted to solve a series of puzzles. Start playing the game here.

According to the official Google Blog, the puzzles will "be released over the next 24 days, in the form of six different challenges at four difficulty levels."

And there are some pretty good prizes as well, including a $100,000 grand prize package that includes a trip to Paris, Rome and London.

This is a really big deal... Google has traditionally shied away from giving advertisers any outlets beyond Adwords. So are we likely to see more promotions like this? I'm not sure that we will. This particular promotion seems to stem more out of a passion for the material than anything else. But who knows?

Google Promoting DaVinci Code

In an unprecedented move, Google has teamed up with Sony Pictures to promote the upcoming DaVinci Code movie. The promotion involves adding a DaVinci Code widget to your personalized Google homepage, where players are prompted to solve a series of puzzles. Start playing the game here.

According to the official Google Blog, the puzzles will "be released over the next 24 days, in the form of six different challenges at four difficulty levels."

And there are some pretty good prizes as well, including a $100,000 grand prize package that includes a trip to Paris, Rome and London.

This is a really big deal... Google has traditionally shied away from giving advertisers any outlets beyond Adwords. So are we likely to see more promotions like this? I'm not sure that we will. This particular promotion seems to stem more out of a passion for the material than anything else. But who knows?

Nielsen Netratings Blunderfest 2006

I swung by iMedia Connection today, and saw a headline for a story that made my jaw drop. Underneath the headline "Yahoo! Outnumbers Google" was the statement "Despite Google's reputation, Yahoo! ranks as top search engine." Um... what is Nielsen Netratings smoking?

This statement is completely and utterly false. The numbers Nielsen is basing this statement on are numbers not just for search engines, but portals and communication destinations as well. Sure, Yahoo! may be the top portal, but that doesn't mean it's the top search engine.

This is a REALLY irresponsible statement for Nielsen to make, and I hope they correct it right away. The fact is, Google is by far the top search engine, and that's not up for debate. In fact, Nielsen's own search data from November of 2005 shows Google's search engine market share at 46.3%, and Yahoo! at only 23%. For Nielsen's statement to be true, Yahoo! would have had to steal half of Google's market share in a mere matter of months. Yeah, right.

How anyone at Nielsen or iMedia Connection could allow this slip-up is beyond me.

Nielsen Netratings Blunderfest 2006

I swung by iMedia Connection today, and saw a headline for a story that made my jaw drop. Underneath the headline "Yahoo! Outnumbers Google" was the statement "Despite Google's reputation, Yahoo! ranks as top search engine." Um... what is Nielsen Netratings smoking?

This statement is completely and utterly false. The numbers Nielsen is basing this statement on are numbers not just for search engines, but portals and communication destinations as well. Sure, Yahoo! may be the top portal, but that doesn't mean it's the top search engine.

This is a REALLY irresponsible statement for Nielsen to make, and I hope they correct it right away. The fact is, Google is by far the top search engine, and that's not up for debate. In fact, Nielsen's own search data from November of 2005 shows Google's search engine market share at 46.3%, and Yahoo! at only 23%. For Nielsen's statement to be true, Yahoo! would have had to steal half of Google's market share in a mere matter of months. Yeah, right.

How anyone at Nielsen or iMedia Connection could allow this slip-up is beyond me.

Reminder: Google Grants

If you're a non-profit, or have a non-profit as a client, you should remember that Google Grants is out there. Google Grants is a program that allows selected non-profits to get free Google AdWords. Check out more details about the program here, and apply. Just a helpful reminder that this is a great opportunity for any non-profit.

Reminder: Google Grants

If you're a non-profit, or have a non-profit as a client, you should remember that Google Grants is out there. Google Grants is a program that allows selected non-profits to get free Google AdWords. Check out more details about the program here, and apply. Just a helpful reminder that this is a great opportunity for any non-profit.