Google trials video ads with Warner Music and Sony BMG

Also said to be buying games advertiser

23 January 2007 15:15 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Google has announced that it will be expanding its trials of its video advertising offering.

The company has confirmed that it will be working with Sony BMG and Warner Music over its AdSense ad system to web site publishers in a month long trial.

"Over the past few months, we have run tests to figure out how we work with our partners and advertisers to combine high quality video content with ads and then distribute them (over) the Google AdSense network", Google said in statement.

The test with the two music labels follows an earlier public trial of Google's video advertising system with MTV Networks.

Meanwhile Google is planning on expanding its advertising empire with the acquisition of Adscape, a company that specialises in technology that allows adverts to be placed in online video games.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, a deal could be announced later this week.

"We are always considering new ways to extend Google's advertising program to benefit our users, advertisers and publishers", said a spokesperson for Google.

"In-game advertising offers one such possible extension among many others", said the company.

The deal would follow Microsoft's purchase last May of Massive Inc, who also specialises in in-game advertising. Currently its clients include gaming firms like 2K Sports, Codemasters, Konami and Eidos