Google tests new 'Sunday Newspaper'-style ads

Search giant Google is testing a new type of ad that mimics the full-page inserts in weekend newspapers, a tech site reported Tuesday (Manila time). The large-format ads allow users to explore specials being promoted at nearby retail locations, tech site Mashable quoted a Google spokesperson as saying. "The ads, which will be personalized based on a number of factors including location and query, will pop up when viewers click on search or display ads. The ad format is compatible with desktop, mobile and tablet devices," Mashable said. It said the new ad format will likely be unveiled formally at an Advertising Week event in Manhattan later this week. A separate article on Bloomberg.com quoted Google product management VP Nick Fox as saying the "Circulars" were in response to retailers’ requests for advertising that would drive online visitors into offline stores. "Retail in general is a large category for us. They’re trying to understand what the answer is in the digital age to the offline print circular. They’re trying to understand how to get their online visitors into their stores. And this is our answer to that," he said. Bloomberg said Google, the world’s biggest search engine, is looking for ways to translate its leadership into new sources of revenue. It said Web surfers will find the circular-style advertising, which shows multiple pictures and large type, by clicking on search ads. The service will automatically craft the promotions based on factors such as query topics and the location of users. — TJD, GMA News