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F*&k You Friday! Targeted Advertising

Adventures in Facebook Dating AdsI get targeted Facebook ads that target me because I am gay. These ads have no sensitivity though and are extremely offensive.

I don’t want what someone else thinks is relevant to me. Other people do not know what is relevant to me based on my interests I list on Facebook. I am an eclectic, whimsical, and crazy human being who makes decisions based on more than interests listed in an online profile. That craziness is what makes me human.

When other people  imagine and reason and try and figure it out, but they never get it right, no matter how hard they try. This is how people think that because I am gay I have HIV and they should advertise to me that way. Thanks, marketers.

And any smart marketer knows that we cannot just display ads that are relevant to that person based on one profile. What if that person never updates her interests in 10 years? Are those ads still relevant to her? What if I have kids? If I’m only getting ads that target me, how will I ever know what to buy those useless brats on Christmas? Do I actually have to listen to them to figure out what they want? Do I need to look through their interests and their targeted advertising?

As much as marketers want me to believe that targeted ads are good for consumers, I don’t buy it. Maybe when I stop getting ads that suggest I have HIV I’ll believe it, but until then, F&*k you! to marketers who have no idea how to target.

9 Responses to F*&k You Friday! Targeted Advertising

  1. Mary May 27, 2011 at 1:47 pm #

    WTF??? Advertising based on stereotypes = EPIC FAIL and utterly stupid. Sorry you have experienced this, Jay. I’m going to share your post on FB.

    • Jay May 31, 2011 at 9:37 am #

      I just got an ad for J-Date too. Clearly, I fit many stereotypes.

  2. Rob May 27, 2011 at 2:03 pm #

    That really sucks and is horribly offensive!

    I get gay dating ads all the time and my profile says straight. I, however, have lots of gay friends (by-product of being involved in theatre, I suppose) and belong to groups that support gay rights and such, so they must just assume that those ads can still sway my opinions. And let’s be honest, if my gay friends can’t get me to come out of the closet, these Facebook ads aren’t going to either. 🙂

    I guess this is what happens when we allow marketers to take the easy way out and market to us based on stereotypes and interest groups.

    • Jay May 31, 2011 at 9:38 am #

      It’s probably because the ads target people who like Gay Rights Groups. They must figure if you’re supporting the cause, you might need a cute man to take to the rally.

  3. Camilo Olea May 27, 2011 at 3:20 pm #

    Hmm, let’s see. So, since I list quite a few hotel/resort pages in my Facebook profile, and I’m Mexican… They’ll probably show me ads targeted to Mexican poolboys or waiters or something.

    • Jay May 31, 2011 at 9:39 am #

      Que divertido!

      Seriously though - I want an ad for a Mexican Pool Boy.

  4. Geoff Merritt May 27, 2011 at 9:07 pm #

    I am nearly 50 and according to facebook, have erection problems, I am glad that someone is looking after my apparent health issues.

    • Jay May 31, 2011 at 9:38 am #

      Just wait until the ad for hair plugs comes.

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