Google Mini Fridge: The “Cooler Thinking” Gift for Top AdWords Advertisers

The Google mini fridge was a small branded cooler that Google sent as a thank-you gift to some of its biggest AdWords advertisers in 2006. This article covers what the gift was, why advertisers received it, and how Google thanks its advertisers and publishers today.

Quick answer: In 2006 Google sent top AdWords advertisers a mini fridge branded “Google AdWords – Cooler Thinking”. It was not a store product; it was a gift for big accounts and milestones. AdWords is now called Google Ads, and there is no gift program you can sign up for.

What the Google mini fridge was

Google had already sent Christmas gifts to top AdSense publishers in 2005. In 2006 it was the advertisers’ turn: a mini Google fridge gifted to top Google AdWords users.

The buzz started at the Digital Point forums, where advertisers began posting that they had received a mini fridge from Google titled Google AdWords – Cooler Thinking. The pun was the point: AdWords wanted to be seen as the cooler way to think about advertising.

Why advertisers got it

A Google Fridge blog run by the team at Palo Alto Software explained why they received one:

“we were very happy today to receive a nice little gift from our friends down at Google today the Google Fridge (AKA: The Cooler). Actually it’s quite an honor to receive this newest addition to our development team. It was gifted to us because we hit our millionth PPC lead through AdWords.”

So the fridge was a reward for big spenders and milestones, not something anyone could buy or request.

Google gifts in the AdSense and AdWords era

The mini fridge was one of several gifts Google sent in those years. QOT covered many of them as they arrived, including a digital photo frame for top AdSense publishers and USB memory cards for AdSense publishers.

Is the Google mini fridge still around?

Google no longer runs the 2006 fridge giveaway, and it was never a store product. Things have also changed on Google’s side:

• AdWords is now Google Ads. Google renamed the platform in 2018.
• There is no gift program to join. Google has never published criteria for these gifts.
• Branded merchandise is sold online. If you just want Google-branded items, the Google Merchandise Store sells clothing, bags and accessories.

Get more from Google Ads instead

A fridge is fun, but results matter more. If you advertise on Google Ads, make the most of free features such as sitelinks and shopping ads to get more exposure for the same budget.

FAQ

Who got the Google mini fridge?

Top Google AdWords advertisers in 2006, including Palo Alto Software, which said it got one for reaching its millionth pay-per-click lead through AdWords.

Can I buy a Google mini fridge?

No. It was a gift for advertisers, not a store product.

Does Google still send gifts to advertisers?

There is no public gift program. Any gifts are at Google’s choice, so focus on results in Google Ads instead.

What was written on the fridge?

It was branded “Google AdWords – Cooler Thinking”.