Indiantelevision.com Team

(21 September 2007 8:00 pm)

MUMBAI: O&M New York co-president Andy Berndt has put in his papers. He will leave the WPP Group company to join Google's Creative Lab as MD.

In this newly created position, Berndt will lead the marketing of Google's brand and services. He will work closely with marketers, agencies and entertainment companies to build and manage their online campaigns.

It already offers advertisers creative and planning services and the new unit is understood to be taking these operations under its remit.

Observers say that the appointment of Berndt will pre-empt a move by Google to offer in-house agency services.

Setting up a specialist advertising agency service comes in the wake of Microsoft recently purchase of aQuantive, which owns the advertising agency Avenue A/ Razorfish. Microsoft has said that it has no plans to sell off the agency.

Google has been making inroads into radio and print buying in US and reports suggest that it could soon move into TV. The internet company has also acquired display network DoubleClick.