While its certainly not any new news that Google has been testing out television ads, what is new is that they are about ready to go public with the service, supposedly sometime in the next few weeks. The service would allow advertisers to buy up ad spots on popular TV networks, including the likes of A&E, Bravo, CNBC, CNN, Discovery Channel, ESPN, Fox News, and MTV.
While it’s still pretty unlikely that the average consumer will be able to afford to buy one of these ad spots, it may make the process of buying and monitoring TV ad campaigns more efficient for larger companies. The service, which is targeted at very large companies, still doesn’t have an actual release date set as Google is working on scalability issues. It is, however, expected to launch in the very near future.
Theoretically though, you don’t have to be a giant company to buy an ad spot. If you’re rich and willing to pay the $$$, it’s not likely you’ll be turned away, unless of course you don’t meet established quality or content standards.
Google has been running the service in a closed trial since June 2007 with advertisers by invitation only. The service currently sells both 15 and 30 second spots in Dish Network’s local advertising industry. The ad spots are sold in online auctions which close 24 hours before air.
