Google really wants you to use Chrome. So much so, in fact, that they’ve decided to broadcast commercials for the browser on TV – an extreme rarity for the online giant, which typically relies on web-based advertising and integration with other products to increase exposure. The spot was created by Google’s Japan team a few months ago as a way to “demonstrate how clean and simple” Chrome is. And beginning this weekend, Google will be using its TV Ads program to run the clip on TV.
Now, I’m not a marketing person, and given Google’s vast resources I’m sure they’ve thought this through, but to me the commercial doesn’t do an especially good job at explaining what Chrome even is. I mean, for the vast majority of TechCrunch readers it’s a given that Chrome is a browser, but for the massive audience needed to turn Chrome into a contender against the likes of Internet Explorer? Not so much. It might pique the viewer’s curiosity, but I suspect many people will see the commercial and just go, “huh?”, especially given how rare commercials for web browsers are.
If this ad doesn’t turn out to be a hit, Google has quite a few online-only commercials up its sleeve for Chrome, but it apparently isn’t planning to run them on TV any time soon.
Cool commercial, but I won’t be switching to Chrome anytime soon. It’s fast, but I can’t live without all the extensions I have in Firefox.
Especially since Firefox 3.5 with TraceMonkey ends up being faster than Chrome from tests I’ve fun thus far.
http://ejohn.or...og/tracemonkey/
And by “fun”, I mean run. Ugh.
“I mean, for the vast majority of TechCrunch readers it’s a given that Chrome is a browser, but for the masusive audience needed to turn Chrome into a contender against the likes of Internet Explorer? Not so much.”
If only you use the same logic while discussing Twitter every second post here…
Now, don’t laugh condescendingly upon my Twitter annoyance..just give it a frigging thought.
By making unibar, google wants to know what we type in address bar too, other than that in search bar, in the name of suggestions.
Thanks for the link, i installed it and it’s faster
when they go “huh” – they’ll just google “chrome” they’ll get all the info they need. I like it becuase it’s not pushy and there’s no sales pitch. It’ll fly!
Maybe, but having to get up from your couch and search for ‘Chrome’ is a pretty big barrier just to figure out what you just saw. I would have included some kind of tagline at the bottom, like “The Browser Done Right”, so people knew what they were looking at.
good point, if they’re watching this space (like they should be) they might incorporate the ideas in this thread.
I agree that everyday Joe will not get from this commercial what Chrome is and why they should install it. They’d probably be confused if Goog is offering some kind of computer game for kids that includes virtual wood toys.
Maybe Goog is going for the geeks/insiders first and relies on them to spread the word. Otherwise I predict this commercial on TV will be a waste of $$.
Hardly ANYONE knows what a browser is anyway…
If you don’t know what “Google Chrome” is, a “browser” doesn’t make much sense either. Next time just post the video and stop the criticism.
That commercial sucked, and this comes from someone who uses chrome every day… How about telling us something about it.
It does, its saying Chrome “breaks out” the clutter of other browsers. Simplicity for simple users. Not sure if most people will get the game reference or point though.
even most techcrunch readers (including me) don’t get that. it’s a commercial, people don’t like to think too much about it. if they don’t get it right away, they’ll ignore it.
also #addcommentbutton { outline: none; }
Agreed with Stefan; I didn’t get that at all. To me it was just fun stop motion and a chance to see the name Google but it told me nothing about what it does.
I have been using Google Chrome for quite some time now and I must say that its real fast.. But of course like what Igor mentioned, Firefox allows us to have many extensions to use with it. I believe many internet marketers are not willing to make the switch yet, given that the only obvious benefit now is the speed of browsing. Until Google has found a way to be able to add and integrate the extensions that worked with Firefox.. Firefox may be still a favorite choice of many users.
To your internet success,
Nicholas Ho
That’s not how “advertising” works. They are trying to sell you on the experience not the actual product here sadly.
I think Microsoft will be very pleased with the commercial.
That was…not a very good commercial.
I like the concept (remove the clutter and whatnot), but they never actually stated that was what was being done well enough. Most people also won’t look at that and see a web browser as well at the end, unfortunately. Great concept, execution needed some work.
I really like that ad!
Me too.. but seems like we are in minority.
Oh, I like it. I just don’t think it’s going to work.
I dig it also. “Little, Yellow, Different….and it’s the choice of the new generation”
Really hoping that (for Googz sake) that it is a kickoff to a really smart campaign..
Oh! You know what would be awesome!?!?!? They could get Jerry Seinfeld to come talk about nothing!
Party on Wayne.
funny to me, after working for Microsoft and being drilled by their ads, my complaint is about the music they used. Way to close to the typical Microsoft stuff. It’s like a cartoony, less epic version of this song….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtilWL4mnhI, which is actually a pretty great ad.
They could have done way better on the music, surprised nobody else mentioned it. Just my 2cents.
See, people are mis-reading this. Google isn’t advertising or marketing in hopes people will install their blazing fast browser made of clay and wood.. They’re ordering it! ;-P
INSTALL GOOGLE CHROME RAWR!!
I dunno dawg… it was just a’ight for me. In the beginning it was a little bit karaoke and pitchy for me… but in the end, I like.. YEAH, that’s my DAWG right there. Know what I’m say’in?
Must be the stupidest commercial ive ever seen
So stupid that I had to comment about how stupid it was twice
google.jump(shark)
Ok … I don’t want to sound like I’m an advertising man at all or like I read books and stuff … still … we can’t just judge this commercial using our western point of views. IT IS A COMMERCIAL FOR JAPAN > E.T Hall … they are “high context” … which means you don’t show how the product actually works in an add … you don’t even show the product … it’s all about the idea … just take a few sec and compare the american wii fit ad and with the japanese one … you’ll get the idea … If I were japanese this commercial would prob’ rock my socks. peace out dudes and dudettes
What is it with you people? How many commercials really do tell you about the product? It’s all about the atmosphere, the cool-/hipness factor, and that’s about it. The commercial links Chrome to childsplay, thus “ungeeking” it respectively making it more accessible for a larger audience. People are clever enough to recognise browser buttons (I hope). Anyway, I love it, and hope it will work. – Ceterum censeo nothing’s going to part me from my Firefox, though, not even speed…-)
“The commercial links Chrome to childsplay,”
Yes, Chrome is a child’s toy that changes your registry so it can spy on you. Let’s all download and play with the great children’s spy machine, Chrome.
They seem to be subscribing to a similar advertising theory as Gatorade (see http://www.yout...h?v=cGKAVAAHdWc). Many of you have probably seen this ad (if you still watch ads at all) – it includes some of the most famous athletes/competitors in the world and just talks about what “G” means (e.g. “G is the heart, hustle and soul of the game). They don’t mention or show the product. In fact, they don’t even have a lightning to indicate its a gatorade brand.
I personally agree that this model is an ineffective way to advertise and am frankly surprised that Google is putting it on TV, much less anywhere else. I think Chrome has so many easy-to-explain advantages over IE that they could easily have ads that are similar in style to the iPhone ones.
One thing, though, that may mitigate the downside to putting up an ad that doesn’t describe the product is that pretty much everyone uses google.com to search, and anytime you’re on google.com you could just click on the link there and learn more about google chrome. Since its on the website 24/7 – maybe they figure the ad will pique the curiosity of those who are already ignoring the google.com plug for Google Chrome?
I’d agree with your last point…
It is funny that the company whose revenue model relies on having marketing $$ re-routed from traditional advertising to the web, is using traditional advertising channels to market it’s products
nice. i like it. i wish there was a real install for mac.
Is Google reading from the Microsoft playbook on how to waste money? This commercial is just pissing money down the drain. So many better ways to get people to use Chrome. They should focus on partnerships if they want people to use it.
Yeah, I get it, but also, wtf.
Google have made a great strategic error with Chrome. The people who likely to try it are early adopter silicon valley crowd are in majority using Macs. So they could not try and promote this technology.
In a nutshell: shite. Nobody will have any freaking idea what chrome is. People outside the tech community need it to be explained in simple terms.
I really like this ad.
I think as most ads nowadays go, it’s really about seeing the meaning behind the face value of the ad. It’s either to portray the convergence of the ease of a physical child’s game (blocks) and the digital world (the breakout game), or the fact that Chrome has made internet browsing clean and easy. It’s interesting they actually advertise for a web browser though. Perhaps Google is trying to reach out to the non-tech community, make it more accessible for them? The Japanese might be able to read the contextual clues about it being as simple as a children’s game.
Thus Google is now advertising toys for kids.
Where can we buy these wooden toys?
Just hope you can turn of the music while playing with it.
We eye tracked 30 internet users while viewing this ad. The engagement was the best of any ad we have ever tested at Think Eyetracking. For more on our eye tracking study see our blog: http://thinkeye...com/Blog/?p=158
-Lizzie.