Virtual mapping tools like Google Earth and Microsoft’s Virtual Earth 3D are great for those who want to ogle their neighborhood - but they may soon turn out to be an even bigger boon for the advertising industry.

This spring Saturn is looking to roll out a nationwide version of an online ad for its new Aura sedan built on Google Earth technology. Web users don’t have to download the mapping software; they just watch as the screen zooms all the way down from space into the nearest Saturn dealership - located by their IP address - where a salesman offers them a test-drive.

A beta version of the ad, targeted at just six U.S. cities, received millions of click-throughs, according to Gokul Rajaram, product management director for Google AdSense. (You can view this 3-d ad here.

CNN Money