It’s becoming inherently clear that Al Gore has been a very busy man. From “inventing” the internet, to his Oscar winning film, An Inconvenient Truth, to his recent Nobel Peace Prize, he seems to be a man on a mission to alter the way everyone looks at the world. In recent news, he has done this in yet another way, in the advertising world.

The website, Current, which was co- founded by Gore along with its sister TV station, released a new version today which has many people talking. The site itself aims to reach the Myspace generation by allowing registered users to post news stories that appeal to them. It, in effect, is merging the social networking world with the news. Users are able to post stories and videos from other sites, as well as post ones they have created. Current then takes the top stories discussed online and puts them onto the TV station, which reaches nearly 52 millions homes in the world.

Although this entire notion is quite interesting, one might be curious what this means for the advertising world. Well, Current also will allow users to create their own advertisements. This is a growing trend which has been seen in the past and focuses on the younger, more indefinable demographic that this site is reaching. Also notable, these ads will be scattered throughout the site as actual content, rather than in separate sections on the page. When asked about this, Current’s President of Media, Joanna Drake Earl, says, “this will be far more effective than slapping a banner ad in a corner or having pre- and post-roll ads in videos”. Although losing some control over branding may be a concern for advertisers, ultimately the payoff could be huge; with the success the site is already seeing, the opportunities seem endless. Gore may have had some difficulties attaining the Oval Office in 2000, but he certainly seems to have put his spare time to good use.