I’m one of those who took and passed the test- not for the recognition, but for the sense of self-accomplishment of what is so often referred to as “challenging” to say the least. A simple Google search will show you how many individuals are very frustrated with their many attempts at a passing score. With that said, think about Google. What do they do? (aside from a search engine). They sell ads, and there system is set up to reward those who write good ads, regardless of whether or not they are qualified. If you contact them, they give you test vouchers for free, so no blown bucks there. And at the end of the day, those who aren’t wanting to learn simply get left behind. The 100k spend that you mentioned only applies to company certifications. How else could anyone determine that you are “a good account manager” if people don’t want to pay you to manage their account under your MCC supervision. It’s not all about money. If you mis-manage client accounts, they fire you. And as far as the disclosures, what else to you expect with people having the ability to false promote their qualification. In reality, google is doing their part to help YOU both Make money and HELP others.