In its most high-profile UK traditional-media campaign to date, the web company is rolling out its ‘Gone Google' ad campaign, which broke in the US in August.
The campaign seeks to establish the credibility of Google's business offerings - Google Apps, Postini Services and Search Appliance - by naming companies that have adopted them and ‘Gone Google'.
Brands mentioned in the ads include Telegraph Media Group, Motorola and InterContinental Hotels Group.
It is seen as a dig at rival Microsoft's more traditional software products and an attempt to take attention away from a raft of Microsoft product launches.
Microsoft is currently trying to catch up with Google's business products and is about to launch its new operating system, Windows 7. It is also looking to encourage UK take-up of its search engine, Bing.
The company is also hoping its new mobile phone operating system, Windows Mobile 6.5, new mobile range and Windows Marketplace apps store will enable it to compete more directly with Google's Android devices and the Apple iPhone. The Windows phone is currently being backed with TV ads in the UK.
Google's campaign comprises 21 different ads that will run over 28 days. The UK campaign will run across media including outdoor billboards, digital locations in train stations including London's Paddington and Liverpool Street, and print ads in titles such as The Economist and Daily Telegraph. An online campaign will run across websites including Silicon.com, FT.com and Times Online, and there will be a dedicated Twitter feed.
The press ads state: ‘Over 60% of the world's top brands have gone Google', while outdoor ads will drive people to the google.com/appsatwork site with ads such as ‘Day #5. Software upgrade costs = crazy. Want to go Google.'
Google said it hoped its messages would help companies, schools and organisations learn about the benefits of its enterprise products.
Dell is also rolling out its ‘Take your own path' brand campaign globally this month, using ‘trailblazer' business brand ambassadors.
With the strapline ‘We take our own path, we choose Dell', the campaign focuses on the business success stories of Tony Wheeler, co-founder of Lonely Planet, and Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn.
The campaign highlights the specific Dell products that the trailblazers use, directing business customers to buy similar products, such as its Latitude laptops, workstations and servers.
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