Google's grand experiment with traditional advertising continues as it begins classified ad-type tests with the popular Chicago Sun-Times newspaper.

Using the unsold "remnant space", Google is trying to fill the gap between the old and new media in quite a nifty way by providing a stack of advert boxes in the familiar Adwords format on the printed page of the newspaper.

Considering Google posted a whopping $4.2 billion revenue in search advertising for the first three months of last year, they could do with a bit more cash in the kitty.

Google is running ads in proximity to relevant content. On Dec. 12, for instance, Google ads touting ticket brokers, White Sox apparel and Chicago Bears memorabilia ran in the Sports section.

A Google spokesman declines to comment on Google's satisfaction with the test; the ads debuted on Dec. 9, and only 15 boxes have run so far. "This limited test is part of Google's continuing effort to develop new ways to provide effective and useful advertising to advertisers, publishers and users," the Google spokesman says.

Chicago Business

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