Negative Campaigning Using Google AdWords

Thanks to Matt Cronin of WebLiquid for passing along an article (free registration) from Online MediaDaily.

WHILE SEARCH MARKETING IS RESPONSIBLE for much of the resurgence of online advertising, politicians have been relatively slow to purchase sponsored search links. But activity on Google this week indicates that search engines might play a more significant role in political races in the future. Earlier this week, the 2006 gubernatorial campaign of New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer placed an ad on Google that appeared as a sponsored link on the keyword "AIG," an insurance group Spitzer is investigating. The 31 cent-per-click ad was taken down the next day, with Spitzer's spokesman, Darren Dopp, calling the purchase a mistake.