• Google has made reference to cryptocurrencies in a new ad
• The ad touches on the high cost of mining
• It also touches on the ‘realness’ of cryptocurrency versus that of fiat

The relationship between Google and the blockchain industry has always been a complicated one. Last year, they enforced a blanket ban on all blockchain and cryptocurrency related ads only to revoke the ban for specific types of ads last month. Now now Google released an ad for a new service – a call screen option which allows users to interact with those who are calling them before they answer the call.

In the ad for the service, a character asks another character if they are going to “going to live [that cryptocurrency] lie?” This apparently a jab at the high costs of cryptocurrency mining.

Short and sweet

In the ad, a character receives a call from their electricity provider to inform him of his high electricity usage and subsequent high bills.

The man responds that the reason for the high electricity usage and bills is “cryptocurrency mining [taking] a lot of energy.”

After this, the man is informed that cryptocurrency doesn’t qualify as ‘real’ money, at least compared to fiat currency.

The man responds saying, “Well, I’ve got news for you, money isn’t real.”

The ad is produced in a short, witty fashion but still manages to pass across a very serious message.

Underlying themes

The message behind the ad is quite easy for any crypto enthusiast to see.

First, the subject of the energy needed to mine cryptocurrency is one that is well discussed within cryptocurrency circles.

Sky high electricity costs have been reported by miners all over the world – though some unscrupulous miners are finding creative ways around that.

Also, the fact the cryptocurrency mining is being spoken about so casually in an ad by Google comes to show that crypto investment is slowly becoming more normal – though not quite yet as accepted as choosing to invest in the stock market.

There is also the topic of cryptocurrencies not being ‘real money’. As the character in the ad pointed out, the value of money is a shared illusion. Fiat currency is, essentially, paper and like cryptocurrency, its ‘realness’ is dependent on its ability to purchase goods and services.

Thus, cryptocurrency is, indeed, as real as ‘real’ money.