April 06, 2005
Spitzer's Google "AIG" Keyword Search Ad
In what is definitely a lapse of judgement, the Spitzer for New York Governor website had a Google ad link on top of search engine results for the word "AIG" today. I tried it an hour ago and it worked. However since then, the ad has disappeared. Spitzer's attorney general office is current investigating AIG for accounting issues. It doesn't look good when you're campaigning for governor using a current unresolved investigation target to point people to your fund raising site. I bet someone is going to get a tongue lashing.
The New York campaign for the corporate crime fighter appears to be paying to tie ads to the key word "AIG." When an Internet user types in that query, Google returns a search ad at the top of the search results page. The ad reads "Spitzer for NY Governor." A click on the ad sends viewers to www.spitzer2006.com. An ad for AIG Auto Insurance also appears above the search results. It appears that Spitzer2006 has singled out AIG in its Web search advertising blitz, since no ads show up when Web users run queries on other high-profile Spitzer targets including former New York Stock Exchange Chairman Dick Grasso, insurance broker Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc. and Marsh's mutual fund unit Putnam Investments.
