Google Killing Off DoubleClick, AdWords Names in Rebranding of Ad Products

By Todd Spangler

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Google is retiring its two most-recognized brand names — DoubleClick and AdWords — as part of a broad rebranding of its ad products.

The new ad lineup will comprise three main pillars, with the rebranded suite to begin rolling out in July: Google Ads, Google Marketing Platform and Google Ad Manager.

AdWords, which started as a search-based ad system more than 17 years ago, is being renamed simply Google Ads. The products from DoubleClick, the ad network Google bought in 2008, are becoming part of the two other product groups: The new Google Marketing Platform merges DoubleClick Digital Marketing and the Google Analytics 360 Suite; Google Ad Manager is the new name for programmatic advertising platform that merges DoubleClick for Publishers and DoubleClick Ad Exchange.

In addition, as part of Google Marketing Platform, the company is introducing Display & Video 360, which blends features from DoubleClick Bid Manager, Campaign Manager, Studio and Audience Center to provide a single collaboration hub for creative, agency, and media teams to work together on ad campaigns.

“These new brands reflect all of the ways that we help advertisers connect with consumers and make it easier for advertisers and publishers to choose which products are right for their businesses,” Sridhar Ramaswamy, Google’s senior VP of ads and commerce, wrote in a blog post announcing the changes.

With the intro of Google Ads, the internet giant also is targeting small businesses, by giving them the ability to use the new default Smart campaigns. Google claims the Smart campaigns let marketers even more quickly design and launch ad campaigns and provide far better audience-targeting features than standard AdWords campaigns.

Google said it will announce additional new campaign types and other solutions at its Google Marketing Live event in July 10 (more info at this link ).