Google advertises Search Engine on TV!

While a multi-national corporation advertising it's core business on TV may not seem like a radical departure - it is for Google.   Google has used ATL media to advertise other products - but rarely (never?) advertised their core service - the Google Search Engine.  

This changed yesterday when Google screened a 60 second commercial during the 2010 Super Bowl. I guess if you're going to start using offline - why not start off with the biggest, most expensive slot in TV?  The ad is quite engaging but is not new; it has already had 1.2 million views virally as a YouTube video as one of a whole series of "stories" ads.   

Many observers including Danny Sullivan of SearchEngineLand - http://searchengineland.com/hell-freezes-over-google-airs-super-bowl-a-35476 - are putting it down to increased pressure from Bing as Microsoft finally finds it's feet to mount a real challenge to Google's vast user base.