G! making deal with NBC outside AdWords program?

[jexx]

If you search G! for "olympic results" they are now showing a Medal Count above the regular SERPs with the description "In collaboration with NBC Olympics".

It appears that G! is going outside the AdWords program and making custom deals for advertising then?

[poster_boy]

Google also sponsors the Today Show's weather report with a Google Map feature.

[toddb]

I also saw a Pontiac commercial that said search for us on google and had "pontiac" in the search box. They are now doing some co branding advertising or something.

[bakedjake]

Maybe because NBC has an exclusive on media coverage with the olympic comittee, and any other media company has to go through NBC?

That's my guess (and it's just a guess).

[truezeta]

Hmm, well what happened to MS(NBC)? I guess they aren't exclusive.

[jexx]

funny jake.

anyways, question is.. where is this taking us?
is Adwords PPC not going to be enough anymore, the no-more "do no-evil" G! is going after the "big fish" accounts instead..

[jim2003]

Its not clear to me that the olympic results are paid advertising. I doubt NBC is paying Google for that placement. It seems to me that "in collaboration" means that NBC is providing content to Google not an ad listing.

[jexx]

that is possible.. good point at least.

however, since this apparently is going on for other NBC ventures such as the Today Show, I doubt that there is no money being exchanged or the other networks would (or should?) have the same type of content there as well..