New Article - Ask Goes On The Attack

[thejenn]

Authored by: Jennifer Laycock

Full Text: http://www.searchengineguide.com/laycock/009791.html

A Snippet:

It's tough being the little guy...especially when you know you have a strong product that could likely compete with other companies, if only consumers would give you a chance. Ask.com has been playing catch-up to Google and Yahoo for most of the eleven years that it's been answering search queries and apparently, it's had enough. No more taking pot shots at Google via the Ask.com blog, this time it's all out war.

[Robert]

Here are the commercials. I don't get why these upset people.

[Scottie]

Hmmnnn... the whole campaign says, "They're better than us and we don't like it!"

Nothing like insulting people by calling them "information droids" to get them to flock to Ask.com... heck, why build a better engine? Just whine "It's Not Fair!"

[JohnMu]

Advertising is one thing, but what about
- keeping customers from entering your physical store
- running PPC campaigns on your company name
- inviting other people to spam the web with tagged search links
?

Somehow something went wrong in that plan to grab people's attention in a positive way .....

Here's a thread by a shop-owner: groups.google. com/group/Google_Webmaster_Help-chit-chat/browse_thread/thread/dcdb9e320ce59410/

[St0n3y]

Here is my problem with the commercials... they tried to appear "grassroots" but then used large type font on many of the posters. My first reaction is that the poster-type was out of place. And then they used the ask logo. BAD. You can't go for a home-made feel if you then insert a corporate logo on the screen.