Google $20 billion Audio Ads: Not a radio test!

Google spokesperson Michael Mayzel told me last week that Google is:

Planning on releasing a beta version of Google Audio Ads by the end of the year.

Contrary to Google's latest stab at trying to place ads in print media (see Google’s $48 billion Print Ads test: Fourth time’s the charm?), Google can not afford to "fail" three times in its designs on the $20 billion radio advertising market; Google has already invested more than $100 million in radio via its dMarc Broadcasting acqusition earlier in the year. 

In "SWMX Radio vs. Google? SWMX COO talks ‘The Real Deal’ in exclusive interview" I discuss the high-stakes radio advertising bet Google is making with dMarc and competition Google faces.

Industry insiders are not convinced that Google’s dominance in online search advertising is easily duplicated in the radio advertising market.

Bill Figenshu, Chief Operating Officer, SWMX SoftWave Media Radio, spoke with me about competing against Google in the radio advertising space:

we sure can't outspend them, so we'll just have to out-think them...

We are successfully competing with them, in fact, we are substantially ahead of them in stations, sales, and innovation. Having enough money to buy a small country is not enough...

This is a full time job for us. We don't do "search", hold auctions, or dabble in other businesses.

Figenshu believes the Google Audio Ads radio model is inherently flawed:

Unlike SWMX with an online "opt-in" platform. Google requires a "box" in the station to deliver commercials.  If you were a station manager, would you allow Google to place equipment into your station? We think not.

READ ENTIRE SOFTWAVE MEDIA INTERVIEW

I recently underscored Google’s inability to achieve its grandiose offline ambitions:

Google failing to snag $116 billion print, radio, television ad markets

Why Google can't make it in the "real world"

ALSO SEE: Google to Madison Ave: Buy from us, too!