Behind the hype: Even Google insiders knew advertisers weren’t sold on Performance Max.
Leaked emails reveal even Google insiders knew advertisers weren’t buying the “Power Pair” hype.
Let’s rewind to May 2024, when Google Marketing Live decided to go full AI Kool-Aid and chant “Power Pair” like it was a cult rally. The plan? Push Performance Max (PMax) and broad match keywords so hard you’d think they were selling crypto in 2021.
Turns out…advertisers weren’t chanting back.
The catch: Advertisers weren’t buying the PMax gospel
In a leaked internal email, Google exec Omkar Muralidharan straight-up admits the obvious:
“Nobody was that excited about PMax in my advertiser conversations on the day… at best it was like they were willing to go along.”
Translation: Everyone nodded politely while secretly opening Meta Ads Manager in the background.
This wasn’t some rogue opinion either. The emails—sent between key Googlers like Muralidharan and Michael Levinson—show execs grappling with the fact that their top-down, “trust us bro” automation strategy was not landing with real advertisers.
Why it matters: full auto isn’t what pros asked for
Google doubled down at GML 2024, telling the world that “all our AI goodness is PMax,” claiming it delivers 27% more conversions. But buried under that stat is a real issue:
Advertisers don’t hate automation. They hate black boxes.
PMax might technically perform—but without channel-level reporting, device-level bids, negative keywords (until very recently), and real creative control, you’re not running ads. You’re feeding a slot machine.
Even Google insiders knew the vibes were off:
“There was some real frustration that Google isn’t listening and pushing ‘full auto’ solutions they don’t want.”
Operator POV: forced automation ≠ innovation
The big ad platforms still confuse control with complexity. Advertisers want automation with options, not “give us your budget and pray.” You can’t tell serious operators to shut up and let the algo cook when it won’t even show them what’s in the pot.
It’s 2025. We can get groceries from a drone and deepfake presidents in HD. Is it too much to ask for search terms and placement controls?
So what now? All eyes on GML 2025
Google Marketing Live is next week. And while the leaked emails are from last year, they’re a stark reminder: the people spending the money still want a say.
Here’s what to watch:
- Will Google finally acknowledge advertiser fatigue with “set it and forget it” PMax?
- Will we see real updates on control, transparency, and reporting?
- Or will it be another round of chanting while the churn rate quietly rises?
Bottom line: Google knew PMax wasn’t vibing last year. If they keep pretending otherwise in 2025, don’t be surprised when advertisers start voting with their wallets.
