I can understand google having to make money with targeted ads, but this is ridiculous. This is the way the internet works: You attempt to show me an ad, I block ad and see nothing. The Internets.

just got done done watching someWHAT ?!

I don't see how Google can combine my online and offline behavior since I'm a dog.

Tell you what, Google, I won't have a problem with this once you release similar information for every single employee you have to the general public

/fair is fair

Mountain Doo: I can understand google having to make money with targeted ads, but this is ridiculous. This is the way the internet works: You attempt to show me an ad, I block ad and see nothing. The Internets.

This!

There is a breaking point. Ads are necessary for revenue; I get that. But marketers ruined it for themselves.

Take television:

In the 1960s, over the course of 10 hours, American viewers would have see approximately 1.5 hours of advertisements; today, we get treated to twice that amount. This means that if a movie show from the 60s show were rerun today, the content may be edited by nine minutes to make room for the extra advertisements.

Result: I now download my TV shows, or DVR them and jump-skip past the ads.


Movie theatres:

In the past, we frequently saw ads for a handful of upcoming movies. Not only were there only a few, but at least they were appropriate -- advertising movies to movie-goers. Now, we get the privilege of seeing more movie ads PLUS quite frequently ads for television shows, other local businesses, products such as cars or soft drinks, etc. (Of note, AMC touts its advertising capability as a good choice because "No remote controls, DVRs or TiVo that help consumers skip your message".) Last movie I saw -- the new Hobbit flick -- had, combined, nearly 25 minutes of pre-movie advertising (from the time the lights went down to the actual start of the movie).

Result: I now unabashedly download most of what I wish to see.

Online:

Well, you know what it's like online and what it used to be like. Result? Ad-block, NoScript, Ghostery, FlashBlock, and Mike's hosts file (to name just a few).

ArcadianRefugee: But marketers ruined it for themselves.

Ehh... Marketers have been busy spending their clients money while advertisement venues have been glad to make more advertising slots available.

Want people to see your ads? Well, you might have to compete better for fewer advertising slots as venues realize they can't sell more ads without lowering their page views.

Maybe if you told companies that their TV and radio advertisements were getting ignored because the venues are dropping them in the midst of extended blocks. Don't tell the marketing people, get it through to the C-level executives that their ads are winding up in the middle of long blocks where people are wandering off.

If you have a venue that's known for brief commercial blocks you should be able to charge more for the scarce commercial time that delivers more attentive viewers.

Then again, maybe we're in such a minority (extreme commercial avoiders) that it's not viable to try to attract us.

Also, when I watch, say, "Eureka", I don't need a giant animated advertisement for "Ghost Hunters" popping up during the show and covering a large percentage of the screen. Firstly, it ruins my enjoyment of the show I am watching and secondly, Ghost Hunters was the most ridiculous piece of crap to air on TV (and I know that "Jersey Shore" exists).

fark you, SciFiSyFy.

ZAZ: Mountain Doo: This is the way the internet works: You attempt to show me an ad, I block ad and see nothing. The Internets.

You may have noticed Fark getting more aggressive with ads over the years.

You block third party ads, I inline ads so you see something again. Adblock works because it isn't perceived as taking away enough revenue.

I've previously mentioned paperback ads of the 1970s. Until the 1950s novels were strong, expensive hardcover books. Publishers found they could sell cheap, low quality books for a low price. They tried to make up for lost revenue. They inserted card stock cigarette ads in the middle of paperbacks. Buyers plucked them out and kept reading. A German publisher had a better idea. Ads in running text. "Jason thrust his throbbing member into Jane's waiting cavity. Then they took a break for a cool, clean Marlboro Lite. Then Sarah kicked open the door."  Can't clip it out, can't even see it in advance until it has already registered.

Interestingly enough, that's exactly why I stopped watching Bones. When they started reading ad copy right in the middle of a scene, that was it for me.

t3knomanser: Arachnophobe: Interestingly enough, that's exactly why I stopped watching Bones. When they started reading ad copy right in the middle of a scene, that was it for me.

I get a kick out of "Castle", where in coverage, everybody's using iPhones, and then in closeup it's suddenly a Microsoft phone. There was one episode where they made a point of being consistent, but usually it's flip-flopping.

And let's not forget "Burn Notice", brought to you by Hyundai.

Product placement I can overlook, or at the very least roll my eyes on move on. In the Bones case though, Angela actually started reciting why the Toyota minivan was a perfect choice for an artist, because of how it has plenty of room, and how she sucks at parallel parking, so the backup camera is a lifesaver. Right in the middle of a scene where they were discussing a murder.

Yes, I'm aware of the irony that I remember the scene that clearly, so obviously the ad worked. But it also cost the show a viewer and left me with a really poor impression of Toyota. Not that I had that great an impression of Toyota to begin with.

Kyosuke: Arachnophobe:
Product placement I can overlook, or at the very least roll my eyes on move on. In the Bones case though, Angela actually started reciting why the Toyota minivan was a perfect choice for an artist, because of how it has plenty of room, and how she sucks at parallel parking, so the backup camera is a lifesaver. Right in the middle of a scene where they were discussing a murder.

Yes, I'm aware of the irony that I remember the scene that clearly, so obviously the ad worked. But it also cost the show a viewer and left me with a really poor impression of Toyota. Not that I had that great an impression of Toyota to begin with.

Ford did that to me with White Collar. When they left plot behind to start discussing the car's automatic braking systems, I left the entire show behind (and shortly thereafter bought a Subaru.)

I think this is why I'm watching so many period pieces now. It's REALLY freaking hard to pull something like that on Boardwalk Empire or The Tudors.

They're not doing all that great a job since most of the stuff that pops up for me is reactionary and fundamentalist derp of the most egregiously godawful stuff imaginable. Prior to the election there were ads for every candidate whom I voted against. There are incessant ads for churches that are completely antithetical to my views -- which is even odder since I am atheist. To top it all off there are the ads for "Want to earn your college degree?" even though I am a college professor with a PhD from a pretty nice university with a horrid football team.

Somebody's algorithms need therapy.

Buy my book!
Buy my book!
Buy my book!

Like the retailers already don't try to get all our information. Just today I was buying a present at a cooking store and the guy goes "What's your name? I need it for the receipt." I just handed him cash. He got stuck in a do...while loop until another cashier said he didn't need my name.

Bacontastesgood: Like the retailers already don't try to get all our information. Just today I was buying a present at a cooking store and the guy goes "What's your name? I need it for the receipt." I just handed him cash. He got stuck in a do...while loop until another cashier said he didn't need my name.

Bugs the shiat out of me when they do this.

No, you DON'T *need* my name or any other information to process this transaction. You accept my money and you give me a receipt and I leave.

I try not to take it out on them, as it isn't the cashiers' choice to do this.

But, if pressed, I usually say "Put it yours, you already have it memorized". Shuts them right up.

*in
pit IN yours

/sigh

Oh fark it, I give up

*walks away

I'd pay good money for a working Mandalorian disruptor.

CSB:
There was a fark thread a while ago where someone hotlinked a Hitachi 'massager' kit from amazon. Apparently, I was logged on to Amazon because I had two weeks of interesting suggestions on other items I might like.

Goodfella: I'd pay good money for a working Mandalorian disruptor.

I'm more partial to the Varon-T, myself. More sadism for your buck.

TheGogmagog: There was a fark thread a while ago where someone hotlinked a Hitachi 'massager' kit from amazon. Apparently, I was logged on to Amazon because I had two weeks of interesting suggestions on other items I might like.

Yeah, when browsing temporarily without AdBlock once I saw AdSense ads for a regional chain that's not in my area, but I had recently Googled out of curiosity because I saw the logo and wondered what it was. No way that was a coincidence.

With all these large internet companies forming deals with each other, we can go ahead and kiss our privacy goodbye. It happened first with mom and pop stores: we saw the same thing at a big-box for 30% less, and we said "fark mom and pop, I'm going to Best Buy" but then complained about mouthbreather employees who don't know anything except how to push Monster cables. Now we're seeing it for another 30% less from Amazon and saying "fark Best Buy up the ass," but complaining about privacy. The lower price is great, and probably still the better option, but let's not pretend it doesn't come with a downside. We can't have it both ways.

Arachnophobe: t3knomanser: Arachnophobe: Interestingly enough, that's exactly why I stopped watching Bones. When they started reading ad copy right in the middle of a scene, that was it for me.

I get a kick out of "Castle", where in coverage, everybody's using iPhones, and then in closeup it's suddenly a Microsoft phone. There was one episode where they made a point of being consistent, but usually it's flip-flopping.

And let's not forget "Burn Notice", brought to you by Hyundai.

Product placement I can overlook, or at the very least roll my eyes on move on. In the Bones case though, Angela actually started reciting why the Toyota minivan was a perfect choice for an artist, because of how it has plenty of room, and how she sucks at parallel parking, so the backup camera is a lifesaver. Right in the middle of a scene where they were discussing a murder.

Yes, I'm aware of the irony that I remember the scene that clearly, so obviously the ad worked. But it also cost the show a viewer and left me with a really poor impression of Toyota. Not that I had that great an impression of Toyota to begin with.

you should love this then:

Blade Trinity & the Apple iPod

Link

Arachnophobe: t3knomanser: Arachnophobe: Interestingly enough, that's exactly why I stopped watching Bones. When they started reading ad copy right in the middle of a scene, that was it for me.

I get a kick out of "Castle", where in coverage, everybody's using iPhones, and then in closeup it's suddenly a Microsoft phone. There was one episode where they made a point of being consistent, but usually it's flip-flopping.

And let's not forget "Burn Notice", brought to you by Hyundai.

Product placement I can overlook, or at the very least roll my eyes on move on. In the Bones case though, Angela actually started reciting why the Toyota minivan was a perfect choice for an artist, because of how it has plenty of room, and how she sucks at parallel parking, so the backup camera is a lifesaver. Right in the middle of a scene where they were discussing a murder.

Yes, I'm aware of the irony that I remember the scene that clearly, so obviously the ad worked. But it also cost the show a viewer and left me with a really poor impression of Toyota. Not that I had that great an impression of Toyota to begin with.

I wonder how that will work out in reruns when Toyota has moved onto the next model. I know in some older reruns, they can actually digitally manipulate billboards/posters/etc to put in more current content, but it will be a lot harder to manipulate dialogue.