8 Comments

The Google Scrooge of 2009?

Jan 5, 2009
by

First, I want to wish everyone a happy holidays and let all of our partners know that we really appreciated the cards and gifts this year.  It’s always nice to spread the holiday cheer and wish everyone a healthy and profitable 2009!

That being said, let me go into a mini-rant mode.

Many of us spend a lot of money with Google every day, month, week and year.  Each year Google has sent out a nice holiday gift thanking their top advertisers for their participation in Google’s Adwords program, nothing fancy, a USB card, an electronic travel kit, or my favorite, a donation from Google to a charitable project of your choosing.  Often the blogs are a buzz with the Google gift of the year.  This year?  Nothing.

I reached out to some other top PPC affiliates and have heard the same thing.  Many companies have cut back on holiday gifts, and I think that is a sign of the times in this economy, but when you are working with a company like Google and are spending upwards of $1M per year with them, seeing them cut back on the holiday cheer seems a bit Scroogish to me.

Thoughts?

Filed under: Customer Relationship Management + Internet Marketing + Recession + Search Engine Marketing + Sounding Off
  • http://searchquant.blogspot.com Searchquant

    They have to think of their employees and contractors first. Giving nice-to-have gifts to partners while firing employees might be deemed callous treatment.

  • forkspoonman

    boo-f*cking-hoo Dude. so you missed out on a present.

    many millions of people miss out on eating. and many millions more on medication that keeps them alive.

    but you're "spending upwards of $1M per year with Google", presumably able to buy yourself a christmas meal, yet you feel ripped off and hard done by.

    I hope Santa left a reality check in your stocking.

  • http://www.imwave.com Adam Viener

    I can see your point. Honestly I would have been happy with a card. It's more about the policy change than anything else @ Google. Last year they turned it into a chartiable donation that helped others, and that was awsome!

  • forkspoonman

    well i respect your respect Adam. and twofold for Google's charitable contributions.

    i think we all, far too easily, find ourselves crying "victim". fact of the matter is, if we have health, food and shelter, we have NOTHING to whinge about.

    i have a venture in works that well help those in the World who truely need it. i'll drop you a line when it's up and running.

  • http://www.imwave.com Adam Viener

    I would be interested to hear more about your project.

    Trust me, I know what is important, having survivied leukemia in 2001, I know how important health and family are.

    That being said, if someone was doing that much business with me, I'd send them a card. ;-)

  • forkspoonman

    Fair enough Adam. It just sounded like you were "crying poor" about the present.

    But I think you'd be better off donating the cost of the card and stamp to charity, and letting your client know that via an "appreciation email" or a goodwill post on your blog.

    I WILL keep you posted (about my project).

  • http://www.imwave.com Adam Viener

    Yep, they didn't post anything:
    http://adwords.blogspot.com/

    Happy 2009!

  • http://philmiranda.com Phil Miranda

    Phil Miranda here…If you’re spending, or should I say investing $1,000,000.00 per year with Google on advertising then I would surely hope that a “USB” card or any other gift mentioned in this article cause a stir in emotions into classifying Google as “Scroogish” for not receiving any of the aforementioned gifts this year.

    JMHO

    Phil Miranda