Google Runs 3-month Old Video as Super Bowl Ad

By Marcus Yam
published

How would YOU impress a French girl?

Google, with its ever-expanding line of offerings drilling through to all parts of the world, has made its splash into the world of Super Bowl commercials.

Yesterday, it aired this simple but compelling ad entitled Parisian Love.

Unlike most of the other expensive TV spots, the ad wasn't created just for the Super Bowl. Google CEO Eric Schmidt shared on the official company blog that the ad is over three months old.

"We didn't set out to do a Super Bowl ad, or even a TV ad for search," Schmidt wrote. "Our goal was simply to create a series of short online videos about our products and our users, and how they interact. But we liked this video so much, and it's had such a positive reaction on YouTube, that we decided to share it with a wider audience."

At present time, the ad has under 2 million views online; the estimated worldwide audience of Super Bowl viewers is 1 billion people. Yes, we'd agree that it is a wider audience.

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
20 Comments Comment from the forums
  • PieceMaker42
    It was a great commercial that demonstrates how central search engines have been to our lives since their induction only a few short years ago. Where we get our knowledge now is so different from a few years ago. It is amazing how things can change in a decade.
    Reply
  • brendano257
    Very nice commercial....

    Too bad it can't make every decision for you like Bing can...

    /sarcasm

    I liked it, pretty good for being unintentional.
    Reply
  • doomtomb
    1 Billion people watched the Super Bowl? There's 300 Million people in America. So you are telling me that every single person in the United States was watching the Super Bowl plus an additional 700 Million people from around the world that have nothing to do with American football? Where do you get your facts?
    Reply
  • grillz9909
    doomtomb1 Billion people watched the Super Bowl? There's 300 Million people in America. So you are telling me that every single person in the United States was watching the Super Bowl plus an additional 700 Million people from around the world that have nothing to do with American football? Where do you get your facts?
    That's no doubt a big number, but you're forgetting that American T.V. shows are broadcast worldwide. Heck do you think only Germany and Brazil (I know there are A LOT more countries than that) watch FIFA? Popular sports events like this don't pertain to just the home country.
    Reply
  • kravmaga
    doomtomb1 Billion people watched the Super Bowl? There's 300 Million people in America. So you are telling me that every single person in the United States was watching the Super Bowl plus an additional 700 Million people from around the world that have nothing to do with American football? Where do you get your facts?
    Ironically, perhaps the nfl commentaries which you can find a debunk to on the first page of a google search using the relevant keywords?
    And I quote:

    “available to an estimated worldwide audience of 750 million to 1 billion people.”
    “We do know U.S. viewership because Nielsen tells us,” McCarthy added.

    However, Nielsen cannot pinpoint how many people watch the game beyond American borders because “we are only able to track national numbers,” said Brandi Preston, a spokeswoman for Nielsen Media Research.
    Reply
  • mdillenbeck
    Just watched the video, and a quote from the movie Fight Club best sums up my reaction to is:

    "My father never went to college so it was really important I go to college. After college, I called him long distance and said, now what?
    My dad didn't know, so he said get a job.

    "When I got a job and turned twenty-five, long distance, I said, now what? My dad didn't know, so he said, get married.

    "I'm a thirty-year-old boy, and I'm wondering if another woman is really the answer I need."

    -----------------------------------------------------------

    That, or Lard's song 'Mate, Spawn, and Die' - for those who don't know, an excerpt:

    "In one corner of the ring
    That cherished myth
    Falling in love magically solves
    Every problem you've ever had

    In the other corner
    Spoon size shredded dreams
    The Gods must be lazy
    The movie goers must be crazy"
    Reply
  • Worldwide TV viewers don't see the US commercials anyway so remove a zero from that count...
    Reply
  • lejay
    I'm not from the us and I watched it. I know most of my friends, who are also not from the us (Europe, Australia, Canada) watched it.
    The ads were local though, so no Google ad here (Canada).
    Reply
  • cadder
    I thought it was a good commercial, very effective, although boring visuals.

    Personally, I have nothing that would impress a French girl unless she likes southern accents.
    Reply
  • bennyaltuca
    the kiler was the crib. thats the main reason for people liking it so much.. and here in mexico i know to many people watched the superbowl.

    also, tho i didnt watch i know that they did air american commercials here.
    Reply