Slashdot Mirror
Study Says Targeted Ads Gettin' a Lil' Creepy
eldavojohn writes "Ever load up a completely random webpage to see an advertisement at the top for products related to what you're reading about? What about the advertisement with binoculars that says your green denim jacket doesn't really go with your eyes? Well, a recent marketing study (PDF) is saying that making a highly visible advertisement content aware is too much for consumers. It seems that to optimize clicks and purchases you should use a highly visible ad or a more diminutive ad that is content-aware, but not both. For marketers, this report talks about the consumer having this crazy notion of privacy and at some point they start to feel like you're crossing the line."
like this classic example
http://www.ntk.net/2001/07/06/dohburn.gif
Ad: ... you know what goes great with an article on Slashdot? A cup of tea with synthetically prepared xanthine derivatives. It'll calm your central nervous system, cardiac muscles and bronchodilators. That'll help you deal with annoying posts and ads.
Hey, dimethylxanthine
"Ever load up a completely random webpage to see an advertisement at the top for products related to what you're reading about?"
No. Thanks Adblock!
What are this ads you talk about?
Love many, trust a few, do harm to none.
Back in the '90s everyone surfed nekkid, and you didn't have to worry about them guessing the green denim jacket.
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
Not sure why FB kept trying to sell me Jewish dating websites, when my profile clearly indicated that I was not Jewish... an Anglo-Norman name, 'Zen Buddhist' as my religion... seems like they missed the mark with that one
That creeps me out even more!
(Not the religion-centered dating sites. Those too, but just a little)
Showing me less, but better targeted ads should be a win-win situation. (Sometimes you don't mind spending money on something you saw in an ad)
But beeing presented with not just a random ad, but with an ad and the knowledge that someone thinks you would be intrested in it clearly is something different.
Might lead to this little gem...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118655/quotes?qt0367869
bickerdyke
Gotcha - ads for dwarf porn. Next time you visit expertsexchange.com you'll get your ads for dwarf porn.
I remember the feeling of paranoia wash over me when I first began receiving the penis enlargement emails.
The paranoia has returned, but mostly because of the herky-jerky ads showing pictures of my penis and the names of ex-girlfriends.
You guys getting those?
i've been noticing this on Pandora.
i'll glance down at my iphone and notice adds that are just way too taylored to either me or the song.
the creepy part is when i send an email to a friend saying i need new trim and to repaint parts of my house, then start getting adds for house paint.
the funny one was when listening to pink floyd's the wall, and they starts adds for a new private school for my kids shortly after the line, "Teacher, leave those kids alone".
but yeah, they've long past up creepy.
Other people who use AdBlock are also interested in:
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Similar thing happened to me.
I was reading through an animal rights related newsletter, and Gmail's contextual advertisement located at the top of the screen thought it matched pretty well this offer for a second hand pig slaughter machine.
Up to 45 pigs an hour!
Nice.
No wit here.
I remember finding it a bit creepy/amusing when I was having an argument through gmail with my ex and ads for counseling and relationship therapy were appearing.
Shouldn't you be upset that the records from your sex change were released?
Zing!
Nerd rage is the funniest rage.