At first glance I thought it read – "Not on Google."

No 1 on Google for WHAT? Not Tights

i've noticed recently (well, over the past year or so) that ads on billboards or tv are now NOT showing urls.. instead its a "search for "

like the new dyson ball vacuum cleaner – the tv ad just says "search for dyson ball"

Loren, they were #1 for [tartan tights] last time I tried...

I am pretty sure that Blogoscoped.com is No. 1 on Google as well, provided that you search Blogoscoped on Google.

It is so easy to become number 1, at least on Google. So funny.

Justinf – Yes I noticed this too, I first saw it used by Channel 4 about 6 months ago, it's an interesting development but has a certain amount of risk attached to it in that a URL/domain name can't be compromised however search engine results can change on a daily basis.

I also noticed some advertisers are now putting spaces in their www.domain name.com as well.

Advertisers seem to be starting to assume a certain level of web sophistication for audiences they hadn't assumed before.

I remember a couple of years ago there was a blog post about the "Google us" adverts in China. Then about a year ago there where UK government adverts with the phrase "Search online for Act on CO2". Since then every one seems to be doing it.

Examples
• Other Government Adverts
• DSi
• Monsters Vs Aliens

The search query for Monsters Vs Aliens was MVA, is searching the new AOL keyword? :P

> Then about a year ago there where UK government adverts with
> the phrase "Search online for Act on CO2".

I wrote about the downfalls of doing that back then:
http://ruscoe.net/blog/2007/03/uk-government-assumes-everyone-uses.asp

Just last night, I saw an advert for "Go Ahead" healthy snacks which ended the advert by saying "Search for go ahead! on-line" instead of giving their web address. Guess what...

http://www.google.com/search?q=go+ahead&pws=0

Their website is #8 (if you include the universal search results). I know there are theories that people don't remember web addresses, but surely it would have been better to say "Visit goahead.co.uk" given their web address is actually their product name!

Tony ruscoe

Click thru rates for #8 position fall to about 3%, in this case it definitely would have been a safer bet to use their web address