Google Acquires CafePress, Launches Revolutionary AdWear

In a flurry of Google-related news today (and even something from Microsoft), the company announced their intent to acquire the Internet-based custom clothes company CafePress.com.  Similar to the process with last year’s YouTube acquisition, the CafePress brand will remain intact as the company begins a multi-year technology integration.  With the acquisition, Google will also initiate a new service, dubbed AdWear, enabling personalized direct advertising on clothing.

In the AdWear program, advertisers have access to select the type of clothes they want to have their ads appear on, and may even select based on the sizing.  This flexibility and personalization is a “classic Google approach” as it allows the advertisers to directly target the markets they want to reach.  Thus a company such as Trojan could purchase ads on customized thongs and pajamas, while Krispy Kreme could focus on plus-sized clothing.

“Never before have advertisers had such control over asserting their brands on a truly individualized basis,” said Google’s Marissa Mayer.  “With AdWear, companies can finally reach out directly to the markets they have sought after for years.  We expect to see numerous cost-per-clothes campaigns begin shortly after the acquisition is closed.”

In a not-too-surprising move, Google further announced that all future products made by the CafePress team will ship to consumer for free.  Two sample designs are shown below:

For more details on this and other of today’s stories, read Nick Douglas’ thoughts here.