Google & Dish Network in Video Advertising Deal?

By Loren Baker, Editor | March 12, 2007

VentureBeat is reporting that Google is taking the first rumored moves in its obvious next step to bring Google Video Ads to the masses by signing a major advertising deal with Dish Network, the second largest satellite TV company in the US.

The latest reports are significant because they suggest Google may be on its way to cracking the huge television market, to deliver a very different kind of ad to peoples’ living rooms.

Dish is the nation’s leader in high definition and interactive TV programming. Google’s TV ads, like the ones Google distributes already to Internet sites, would be delivered more efficiently — targeted more closely to the content of the TV programming being watched, and more relevant to the people actually watching it — or at least, that is Google’s intent.

Beyond the ability to target commercials to the programs and content viewers are currently watching, Google & Dish Network could also target ads to:

Viewing behavior : If they watch Oxygen and Lifetime, chances are viewer is a woman, age 28-45. If the viewer watches MTV2 and Spike, male 16-29. History Channel, male 40-60 .. etc. Even if they are watching shows which are not targeted to their demographic or behavior.
Ads ‘Clicked’ : If a user responded to the phone number, text, click (if Internet style browser capability and ecommerce enablement is added to Dish Network interfce) or specific URL for Video Ad A, chances are they would also be a candidate for Video Ad B.
Google Account Integration : If Dish Network users can sign into Google Accounts via TV, then Google could target Video Ads based upon online, search and television behavior.