A few days back, I was on my way to a meeting with folks at NGPVAN, where I’d get a look at the company’s new CRM tools. On the way, I fired up the mobile web to get the exact address, and lookie here! Something interesting popped onto the screen:
Yes, that’s a Blue State Digital mobile search ad, running on search results for NGPVAN’s name and making a direct pitch to NGP’s customers. The mobile angle’s particularly devious: if someone’s looking for NGPVAN on a cell phone, it’s quite likely that they’re doing so for the same reason I was…they’re on their way to a meeting there.
Now, running search ads on a competitor’s name is nothing new in the business world — or the political one. But this example is still pretty brazen, particularly the direct pitch to NGPVAN’s existing or prospective customers. So, who in the political space will next jump into this new gladiatorial arena? My prediction: food fight!!!
– cpd