They say that in a down economy and stock market, one industry that will undoubtedly do well is alcohol. Google apparently gets the message, and has updated their AdWords policies to allow ads for hard liquor. Earlier this year Google updated its policies to allow beer ads, but, apparently things have slipped far enough that it’s time to just go ahead and bring on the good stuff.
There are still some obvious limitations on these ads. For example, Google notes that ads “that directly promote the sale of hard alcohol and liqueurs are still not permissible.” In other words, Google will accept ads promoting drink recipes, but to actually get the stuff, you’ll need to head to your local liquor store. Sorry kids.
The broader story here is that Google is quickly trying to ramp up revenue across the board. Yesterday we saw the company move to make AdWords available specifically for iPhone and G1, while last month YouTube finally got search ads. Essentially, they are trying to counter the downturn in demand for advertising by adding a multitude of new options for advertisers.
Allowing ads for booze are in-line with this strategy, and all jokes aside, might actually be a significant revenue source – the alcohol companies spend an estimated $2 billion on advertising every year.
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