Aboard the Goodship Google

Last week Andy Berndt, who left Ogilvy to help launch Google's Creative Lab, told audience members at the Argyle Executive CMO Leadership Forum that "Google is not starting an ad agency."

Acknowledging concerns that Google may go into the agency business, Berndt called the Creative Lab an "internal creative and marketing resource at Google to manage the brand and our only client is Google."

Asked point-blank about the activities of the Creative Lab, he called it an "odd misnomer" meant to "[think] about the brand [Google] with a qualitative approach," according to Advertising Age.

Before the announcement of its Android mobile platform, Google deflected (via Bloomberg) rumors it would build a mobile phones but did not verbally rule out a foray into the market.

"We're not doing a mobile phone," Alan Eustace had said.

But while Android is not a mobile phone, its release has triggered commitments by carriers to alter beloved industry practices.

Verizon committed to open its network by 2009. AT&T hastily followed suit.