This post started out with the intent to be about online privacy and advertising. I was going to talk about the issues raised at last month’s FTC roundtable on online privacy including behaviorally targeted advertising. Maybe even float around in cloud computing, the topic of next week’s session at the FTC. Talk a little about Facebook’s privacy woes in the aftermath of changing its privacy settings.
But I have bronchitis and a terrible sinus headache, so that post is on hold.
Instead, I am going to have a very little rant about the demographically targeted ads on Facebook.
Ads like these that pull age related data from my Facebook profile and “fill in the blank” in an otherwise generic ad.
This isn’t targeted advertising.
It’s spam. And it’s lazy.
<Rant off>
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AGREED. Not only are they lazy, a lot of them are borderline illegal. I got one today that said “Rachel Ray: 33… Today if you are 33 and female you can get a FRree $250 Rachel Ray gift card (participation required). Offer expires (4) minutes.”
I’m guessing Rachael Ray didn’t approve the use of her image or sign off on the misspelling of her name.
As the biggest, baddest social media site out there, you’d think Facebook could sell ad space to more legit businesses.
Marketing Mommy´s last blog ..No more snacks!
How about the “(3) minutes remaining.” qualifier on your free Ugg boots? Isn’t that the same tactic late night TV ads use to dupe grandparents into buying gold coins “in the next ten minutes. STRICT limit of 5 per caller.”?
It frustrates me that with all of the social data that Facebook has and all of the targeting capabilities, the best they’ve managed to sell are lowest common denominator ads, which just teach people to ignore that ad space all together and reduce the effectiveness of Facebook ads in general. It just doesn’t make any sense.
Cory O’Brien´s last blog ..Gowalla and Incase Team Up For Location-Based Sponsorship
I have a severe case of banner blindness and tend to ignore ads of all sorts, so I don’t get annoyed over these ads. Rather, I see them as a source of amusement. I agree with Cory’s comparison to infomercials.
kim/hormone-colored days´s last blog ..I resolve not to make resolutions in 2010
And feel better!
kim/hormone-colored days´s last blog ..I resolve not to make resolutions in 2010
when these obnoxious ads pop up on my page, I choose the “offensive” option in the drop down. that usually stops them from showing up again.