Is this a Google atom bomb? A $100m mystery treasure hunt through Google Adwords…?

By Tom Foremski - February 3, 2005

by Tom Foremski for SiliconValleyWatcher.com

For several months now I’ve been troubled by a nagging and unpleasant thought that there is a potentially large vulnerability in Google’s Adwords business model. I mentioned it for the first time the other day to a couple of friends and they urged me that I should publish it and not sit on it because it is better to get it out earlier than later.

If there is a problem with the business model then it can be dealt with while there are still mostly insiders holding the stock rather than Joe Public.

Okay, this is it:


A billionaire has arranged to give $100m to the first person that clicks on a special link that looks like a Google text ad.

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By Tom Foremski - February 3, 2005 | Permalink | Category:
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Comments (2)

notbeinguseful:

I believe the idea has merit, but perhaps a $100M bounty is the wrong approach. Like the lottery, many will be discouraged, assuming "someone else" will win. Perhaps a tiny approach is the way to go.

Something like the win a free iPod craze would be much more affordable for the benefactor. A specific series of links would probably work even better if the entrants felt that they could win.


Tim Plusom:

I wonder how a $100m treasre hunt would be announced? it would probably be done through a blog and it might be disguised to look like something else.