Google is moving into the widget ads business. They launched Gadget ads this week, which will allow marketer funded widgets to run on the Adsense network.
You can see examples of some trial widgets Google have uploaded in their gadget ads gallery. There are tools and tutorials a plenty available here. It seems like Google are making a real push into rich branded advertising with this. Am sure that the help and assistance they are offering will be looked at suspiciously by ad agencies.
Jonathan