Google has been one of the biggest names when it comes to the world of smartphone technology. The company has been around for quite a while now and has introduced various innovations in the way the markets of technology function. They started off with their search engine and expanded into various other sectors. The biggest chunk of Google’s revenue comes from advertising on various platforms. YouTube is one of their biggest platforms and hundreds of millions of dollars are earned from it. Google was recently in a pickle as ads of their high profile clients appeared alongside some offensive videos.
Google had to apologize to Marks and Spencer and HSBC as their ads appeared alongside some offensive videos for the British audiences. The British government too, has stopped their advertising on YouTube following their ads appearing alongside homophobic and anti-semitic videos. Following this various other companies backed out. Britain is the second biggest market for Google (the biggest being the US).
Google generated $7.8 Billion from Britain last year, which accounts for 9% of their revenue. The company needs to ensure that their high priority clients are happy. “I would like to apologize to our partners and advertisers who might have been affected by their ads appearing on controversial content,” Google EMEA President Matt Brittin said at the annual Advertising Week Europe event in London.
As per a report by Reuters, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s and Argos, British banks HSBC and RBS, McDonald’s, the UK branch of advertising group Havas and the BBC had stopped ads. This is indeed a major blow to Google. However it is expected that things will get back to normal after the apology and Google ensuring that the content is displayed properly. A number of ad firms such as Publicis and WPP have been looking at their working relationship with Google moving forward.