Google is buying ads instead of selling them in campaign aimed at corporate America

Google launches rare ad campaign to sell more apps

SAN FRANCISCO — Google is launching a rare marketing campaign Monday to try to boost its sales of online business applications.

The Mountain View, Calif.-based company is leasing billboards along major highways in New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Boston this month to promote a bundle of business applications that sells for $50 per worker annually. A different message will be displayed each weekday through August, starting with Monday morning’s commute.

Google Inc. has been peddling its “apps” package since 2007, but only recently realized it needed a more aggressive sales pitch.

Advertising hasn’t been something Google has had to do to draw users to its search engine, which has become a synonym for looking things up on the Internet.