Ask Jeeves TV ads (UK)

New marketing drive?

[Marketing Guy]

First time I saw the ads myself, but then again I don't watch much TV.

Was a cartoon / animated version of Jeeves strutting down the street looking as cool as well, a butler named Jeeves can look.

Kinda funky music playing with the ad - don't know what it was (and asked Jeeves [web.ask.com] but he didn't seem to know either...).

The tag line was something along the lines of "Ask Jeeves - the Find Engine". Or something like that.

I do like AJ though (despite a full page of sponsored links in some SERPs) - with their recent change of ownership I think they certainly will become a larger player over the next year or so. Perhaps not in the direct search market, but certainly along the lines of the Y! and MSN "search embedded within other products" model.

Scott

[limbo]

Saw it last night - don't really remember the ad, but was drawn in by their their choice of strapline: 'the find engine'.

Not sure what young marketing scamp came up with that but it seems a little... overpainted. Sometimes sticking with the status quo is much better than trying to re-invent the wheel. Next thing they'll try renaming the internet for marketing purposes...

[tomda]

But if they want to target youngs (I have not seen the ads), then they remove their old-fashioned man on their "find reports"

[peewhy]

It's not new but certainly a new campaign. They are branding 'The found engine' ...as opposed to 'The Search Engine'

I think they tested the water in the digital channels first.

[GameMasterM]

"But if they want to target youngs (I have not seen the ads), then they remove their old-fashioned man on their "find reports""

I agree. I believe Diller will dispose of the good butler once ASK is completely in the fold. Many parents counsel their children to avoid funny looking old men like Jeeves. "ASK" will do just fine.
He was a cute mascot but the internet is grown up now.

[Marketing Guy]

Agreed (but the butler was central to the Ad campaign on TV last night!).

[peewhy]

Lycos uses a dog, I wonder if there is the same argument with the old butler?

[RichTC]

I dont see the point. ASK in the UK may just as well be google PPC adverts site.

The first 10 listed are from google then you get the ask results.

After this if your still looking and you click page 2 you get another 10 google adverts followed by ASKs own results.

So whats the point?.

Position 1 in the ASK results SERPS is position 11 and God help you if your position 11+ in the natural SERPS because anyone looking for you will need to have gone past 20 Google PPC adverts and 11 ASK SERPS ie you are position 31 onwards before they find you!.

Waste of time. Unless the TV adverts are funded by Google - may as well be.

[peewhy]

Ask probably has a strategy under wraps ... I'm sure all will be revealed.

[adamxcl]

When I see the ads, I can't help but ask myself, how does this look to the public out there. I was out socially when the ad came on and no one knew what it was. They had to ask me. The commercials I've seen never actually put the website in any readable print. If I knew nothing about them, I would ask Is it software? Is it a service? With a hyphen it goes somewhere else. Just Jeeves is another company. How do people know to put in just ask or askjeeves without a hypen?

It seems like someone in marketing is assuming a bit too much brand awareness.

[phantombookman]

Looking at my stats over 15 sites it looks like their adverts have been every bit as successful as MSN's TV campaign!

[RichTC]

Ask is just such a waste of time if you ask me!.

I think the idea of ASK is great and i know a good number of people who like to use it, my wife included however, i just think that its results are next to useless!.

If i want to see the top ten Google sponsored adverts i would go to Google for them not ASK Jeeves.

I cant see any point using a search engine that lists the top ten answers as google adverts. Often they are not even of any use to you. Even my wife is now noticing that she cant find the right site with ASK and is now using the msn search!

Until ASK change the results layout i will continue to avoid them.