Innovation / Horizons

Google Chrome's analog ads impress without the CGI

A new Google Chrome video uses knitting, perspective, and, um, mercury to illustrate the features of the browser.

By Andrew Heining / December 10, 2009

What do you get when you cross a harp, mercury, balloons, sharp objects, ink, mirrors, elastic bands, a hammer, an old Mac, and lots of knitting?

A really cool series of Google Chrome advertising videos.

The spots, posted on the Google Chrome UK YouTube channel Wednesday, present the otherwise-boring features of the Web browser in an innovative and entertaining fashion. Case in point: when was the last time you laughed at a discussion of tabbed browsing? Or were actually amazed at a presentation on the speed at which Web pages load? Both of those, in the video below.

Google released Mac and Linux versions of Chrome on Tuesday to much fanfare, but some of that was dampened by the revelation that the Mac version requires users to be running equipment purchased in the last two years. (Even the Mac used in the first part of the above video, a PowerPC-based iBook, can't run Chrome.)

––

What's your take on the Chrome ads? Have another favorite campaign? Leave a comment, or let us know on Twitter.

––

See also:

Google Chrome for Mac unleashed, but only for Leopard and later

Google Chrome OS: Why should people switch? 

Google polishes Chrome, Microsoft calls foul

• View full site
• Terms  &  Privacy Policy

© The Christian Science Monitor. All Rights Reserved.