Like most of us, Google has managed to get to the age of ten without having to pay much for advertising, but unlike most of us, that may have to change if it is to keep afloat.

A report in the Wall Street Journal has said "in recent months some of the internet company's executives have been pushing for the company to overcome its aversion to paid advertising", probably in a similar way to PE teachers telling ten-year-olds that they're going to learn to swim whether they're afraid of the water or not.

This apparently caused problems when some Google employees were thinking about advertising during the Olympics, but parents Sergey Brin and Larry Page didn't think it fitted with Google's image - if their darling doesn't want to go in the pool he doesn't have to.

However, it would appear that Messrs Brin and Page have seen the benefits of their kid being able to swim and/or advertise, with the WSJ quoting Greg Sterling, from Sterling Market Intelligence, saying Google is starting to "break with its relatively low-key history".

So does Google have to stop paddling and start swimming like Michael Phelps in the tough sea of advertising, or should it stick with its childhood ideal and keep itself wrapped in cotton wool a little longer?

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