I've been reading Googled by Ken Auletta and it's a fascinating history about the company.
The book highlights Google's engineering-driven or fact-based decision making culture. Auletta points out how former executives say that Google's founders don't value marketing. In fact, he writes: "Larry Page is aggressively disdainful of marketing and public relations."
This is why I'm surprised by Google placing a television ad during the February 7th Super Bowl. In case you didn't watch the game or haven't seen the ad online, here's a video clip from YouTube:
According to various sources, this television spot cost Google approximately $5 million to $6 million to air. Here are some good blog posts and articles you might want to check out:
* John Battelle's Searchblog: The Monday Signal – Monday Morn. Advertising Quarterback
* John Battelle's Searchblog: Updated – Google to Air "Search Stories" Ad During Super Bowl …
* MOU Blog: Did Google's Super Bowl Ad Score a Touchdown?
* eWeek Google Watch by Clint Boulton: Google Super Bowl Ad Spreads Parisian Love, Bing Misses Out
My favorite take on why Google aired the ad is from Venture Beat: Parisian love? Google's Super Bowl ad was really about Bing. Looks like there are several "logical and fact-based business reasons" why Google created this ad:
1. Google sees Bing's search engine market share climbing and is carefully monitoring its progress against Google's core business
2. Microsoft's investment in Bing's advertising budget is sizable (~$80 million to $100 million)
3. Microsoft has taken a sound tactical approach in securing Bing partnerships (i.e., Bing is the default search engine in all HP PCs worldwide; exclusive rights to the online video coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics being featured on the MSN homepage)
4. The Microsoft advertising warchest is sizable (i.e., ~$1.2 billion spent in 2008)
It will be interesting to see if Google will execute future "traditional" advertising campaigns. I'm looking forward to seeing their next moves and how marketing and branding may fit as part of their overall business strategies.