# Search Engine Attack Ads Microsoft Attacks Google for Selling Product Search Results in New Ad By Jonathon Brown | Published 2012-11-30 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/microsoft-attacks-google References: [complex](http://www.complex.com/tech/2012/11/microsoft-slams-google-as-scrooge-of-the-holiday-season-in-new-ad-video) & [microsoft](http://www.microsoft.com) [Microsoft](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ethical-shopping-1) attacks [Google](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/productsup-introduced) in this new holiday advertisement pointing out that Google's product search results are partially based on paid placements. Even though the US election is over, this ad is reminiscent of the Romney/Obama bashing political ads that ran for months on end during the election. Microsoft attacks Google with a simple and direct commercial asking viewers to spot the ads in the [Google product search results](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/google-shopping-1). Soon enough, it's revealed this is a rhetorical question because "they are all ads." Microsoft says, "Google sells their shopping results. Google scroogles you by defining relevance by how much they are getting paid." Google recently released a statement regarding the integration of paid product search results as part of their system. This attack ad continues a longstanding battle between the software giants that doesn't seem to be slowing down. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.8/10 - Popularity: 4% | Activity: 13% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Computers](https://www.trendhunter.com/computers) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Paid Product Search:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in developing alternative product search models that do not rely on paid placements. - **Rhetorical Advertising:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating impactful advertisements that use rhetoric to question the practices of competitors. - **Commercial Battles:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in developing creative and attention-grabbing commercial campaigns to wage battles against competitors. ### Who This Affects Most - **Search Engine:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation within the search engine industry to challenge the dominance of search engines that rely on paid placements. - **Advertising:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation within the advertising industry to create persuasive campaigns that challenge the practices of competitors. - **Software:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation within the software industry to develop alternative solutions that offer more transparent and unbiased product search results. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Ethical Fashion Search Engines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ethical-shopping-1.md) - [Shopping Campaign Optimizers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/productsup-introduced.md) - [Harmful Ad-Removing Filters](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sensitive-ad-category.md) - [AR-Enabled Google Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/google-7.md) - [Auction-Inspired Technology Commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/apple-data-auction-commercial.md) - [AI-Assisted Business Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/50-states-50-stories.md) - [Data-Driven Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/datadriven-marketing.md) - [Dystopian AI Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/anthropic-super-bowl.md) - [AI-Assisted Shoppable Searches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aipowered-shopping-experience.md)