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I think it's an interesting sector. The reason HN probably doesn't care is because a lot of us fall under the category of "tech hipsters." Many tech hipsters ha

I think it's an interesting sector. The reason HN probably doesn't care is because a lot of us fall under the category of "tech hipsters." Many tech hipsters hate advertising and by extension anything that enables publishers to show them ads (e.g., "I use noscript so I don't have to see any of those ads." and "I use adblock every1 uses adblock stopid"). Targeted advertising tech seems to be the big winner when it comes to being acquired. There have been several extremely high payouts in recent years for companies similar to this one. I'm surprised there aren't more people working to that end. (Maybe there are and you just don't hear about the swathes of companies that don't get acquired.)

karamdeep 15y ago
there are quite a few companies focused on the space, as detailed here: http://www.slideshare.net/tkawaja/luma-display-ad-tech-landscape-2010-1231 http://www.slideshare.net/tkawaja/luma-display-ad-tech-lands...
- ashbrahma 15y ago
  There is an updated version that just released this week on WSJ. http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2011/06/06/online-ads-where-1240-companies-fit-in/ http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2011/06/06/online-ads-where-1240...
stevenj 15y ago
>Many tech hipsters hate advertising If that's true, I'd recommend they (and anyone who has a distaste for advertising) watch Art & Copy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_%26_Copy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_%26_Copy.
- jodrellblank 15y ago
  Why would you recommend it? That link doesn't give me any reason to think it's worth watching, or that I should want to change my dislike of advertising. I think I have very good reasons for disliking advertising, things like one or more of the following: it's taking up my limited time, attention and cognitive abilities to tell me about things I don't want or need or can't use. It's uglifying my surroundings. It's interrupting and distracting. It's telling me about things I do want but can't afford, or use, or don't have room or time for. It's telling me about things I didn't want, but now do, which is annoying. It's telling me about things I do want, and already know about. It's deliberately misleading. I feel bad that an advertising company is paying money to a service provider because I saw an advert for something I will never buy. There is a hypothetical "targetted advert" which shows me just what I want, right when I want it. I think this is a mirage they chase to avoid facing up to how ridiculous an idea it really is.
deleted 15y ago
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hooande 15y ago
Ad companies make a lot of money. A mediocre ad network will make more money than a mediocre social site or mobile app. A $400MM acquisition for an ad network isn't even on the high end. I feel that ads represent a big problem to be solved. They suck so much that people intentionally block them. It's going to take some serious hacking of the system to fix that, it's a huge challenge.

karamdeep 15y ago

there are quite a few companies focused on the space, as detailed here: http://www.slideshare.net/tkawaja/luma-display-ad-tech-landscape-2010-1231 http://www.slideshare.net/tkawaja/luma-display-ad-tech-lands...

ashbrahma 15y ago
There is an updated version that just released this week on WSJ. http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2011/06/06/online-ads-where-1240-companies-fit-in/ http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2011/06/06/online-ads-where-1240...

stevenj 15y ago

>Many tech hipsters hate advertising If that's true, I'd recommend they (and anyone who has a distaste for advertising) watch Art & Copy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_%26_Copy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_%26_Copy.

jodrellblank 15y ago
Why would you recommend it? That link doesn't give me any reason to think it's worth watching, or that I should want to change my dislike of advertising. I think I have very good reasons for disliking advertising, things like one or more of the following: it's taking up my limited time, attention and cognitive abilities to tell me about things I don't want or need or can't use. It's uglifying my surroundings. It's interrupting and distracting. It's telling me about things I do want but can't afford, or use, or don't have room or time for. It's telling me about things I didn't want, but now do, which is annoying. It's telling me about things I do want, and already know about. It's deliberately misleading. I feel bad that an advertising company is paying money to a service provider because I saw an advert for something I will never buy. There is a hypothetical "targetted advert" which shows me just what I want, right when I want it. I think this is a mirage they chase to avoid facing up to how ridiculous an idea it really is.

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

hooande 15y ago

Ad companies make a lot of money. A mediocre ad network will make more money than a mediocre social site or mobile app. A $400MM acquisition for an ad network isn't even on the high end. I feel that ads represent a big problem to be solved. They suck so much that people intentionally block them. It's going to take some serious hacking of the system to fix that, it's a huge challenge.