Google has just launched a campaign to attract more users to its already popular Gmail service. It asks current Gmail users to “save their friends from outdated email” by helping them jump on board the Gmail train. The way to do this is with an “email intervention.”

Did you hear that AOL, Hotmail, and Yahoo? Google thinks you are so bad that they have compared you to hardcore drugs. Yikes.

From the official Google blog –

I have one friend, Andy, who’s the straggler in the group. A couple months ago, I sent out an email about a barbecue I was having. On the “To:” line, there were 15 Gmail addresses and then Andy. He stuck out like a sore thumb. Shortly thereafter, Andy was complaining to us about how much spam he got. That was the last straw.

We all have a story like this. On the Gmail team, we affectionately refer to them as “email interventions.” We hear about them all the time: the cousin who finally switched from an embarassing address like hottie6elliot1977 to a more professional [email protected], a co-worker who helped his dentist switch after he heard her grumble about having to pay for IMAP access, etc.

And that’s the story Google gives behind emailintervention.com.

When you visit the site, you’ll see a big red button asking you to “start the intervention.” Once you click that, you will be asked to enter your personal Gmail address as well as the weird, funky email address of your friend who needs the intervention. There, you can also sign in to your Gmail account in order to have access to your full contact list.

Next, you get to select your message for your friend. You can either choose one of the pre-written messages that range from “straightforward,” “concerned” and “outraged” in their sentiment, or you can create your own. The email will also include a video, either the standard intervention video like the one above or one you create yourself.

Lastly, this finished product or something like it will be sent to your friend with the “embarrassing” email address.

Would you advise your friends to switch to Gmail? Do you think it is the best email service? Let us know in the comments.