I saw that blurb yesterday and almost commented on it. But I didn't have access to the whole story.

Since then I have given it some thought. What keeps bouncing between the two active cells up there is this.. that I may now have the potential to not only reach to my customers on the web, but in their living rooms as well. This is one that I'll be keeping an eye on.

I understand it's being tested in the Concord area. Can anyone shed more light on what is happening there?

Google is reportedly testing replicating its success in targeted Internet search ads on cable television.

The company has started a pilot program in Concord, Calif., with cable provider Astound Broadband, a division of privately held WaveDivision Holdings, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.

Internet search advertising is a $15 billion business, of which Google has a two thirds share. However, TV advertising in the U.S. is a $54 billion market.

Google Testing Cable TV Ads [forbes.com]

From the cited Forbes article:

Google has also discussed teaming up with Comcast, the U.S.'s largest cable operator, to tailor specific TV ads to individual households [...]

(Emphasis mine.)

This sort of advertisting has always concerned me. How much will hit the fan when Google runs a diaper ad to the couple who just had a miscarriage?

I'd like to know more about how they tailor specific TV ads to a household.

give the household a menu of ad categories?

based upon viewing habits/history? The privacy people won't like that at all.

geo-targeting?

I would love to tell my TV to show me mountain bike ads instead of more hemorrhoid commercials. I wonder if I would have to log in to the TV so I don't see my wife's choices.

My new policy as of Chicago SES 2006:

If it ain't search, I'm not interested.

Just cause Google is "doing it" doesn't make it interesting to me. Search yields ROI. Everything else is a toilet flush at this point.