Google holds chemistry meetings as it prepares for pan-European ad review

by James Hamilton, Campaign 21-Apr-05, 08:30

LONDON - Google is holding chemistry meetings with a number of UK agencies to discuss a project, with the possible prize of a pan-European ad brief for the winner.

The move would mark Google's first significant marketing spend outside the US and comes as MSN and Ask Jeeves run campaigns promoting their rival search engines. MSN Search is running a £2.5m TV campaign by McCann Erickson London, while Ask Jeeves is marketing itself as the "find engine" in a campaign by TBWA\London.

Sponsored search links account for the bulk of online adspend, valued by the Interactive Advertising Bureau at £653m for 2004. Google has a market-leading European share of 43.7%, and a reach of 55m users.

In the US, Google has worked with Crispin Porter & Bogusky and the independent agency Eleven, but has yet to award its US account to an agency on a full-time basis. According to TNS Media Intelligence, Google has spent less than $3m on advertising over the past two years.

Google denied chemistry meetings were taking place.

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