Google to grow consumer-facing marketing?

Google’s move to bring in its first UK specific marketing director signals its intent to not only grow its marketing efforts, but could soon see it widening its B2B focus to directly target consumers.

Camille Alarcon

Torsten Schuppe, a former eBay marketer, will face the big challenge of marketing Google’s range of products including its search business, Apps, Chrome and Chrome Operating System.

The internet giant is trying to steal the march from the likes of Microsoft with its soon to be launched operating system, Windows 7, while also going head to head with Mozilla and Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, with its Chrome offering.

Of particular interest is how Google plans to market its products. It has traditionally focused efforts on B2B marketing, but if its recent activity in the US is anything to go by where it has been promoting Chrome on TV, Schuppe may be stepping in to lead marketing plans that will see it turning its attention to consumers.

PHD digital strategy director Derek Luddem says: “The move to advertise on TV is also a statement of intent for it to move into more traditional media channels as a whole and reflects Google’s increasing scope of offering in terms of products such as Wave, Chrome and YouTube.”

In the UK, Microsoft this week unveiled a deal with Global Radio as part of a major above-the-line push for Windows 7.

It will be the headline sponsor of the 95.8 Capital Christmas pop concert, The Jingle Bell Ball, which will feature acts including Lady GaGa and Lily Allen. Windows 7 activity will run across the radio group’s Heart Network.

Press ads for the event, which takes place at the O2 Arena on 5 December, will carry Microsoft branding as will the O2 Arena during the event.

So it seems Schuppe will have a lot of work to do when he steps in at the end of next month, as the technology companies face off like never before in the already cluttered consumer arena.