3 ms·

Could not agree more. And it doesn't just cover display ads, but marketing emails and social media posts too. All equally odious. An entire industry predicat

by na85 12y ago

Could not agree more. And it doesn't just cover display ads, but marketing emails and social media posts too. All equally odious. An entire industry predicated on the idea of getting me to pay for something I don't want, and using my bandwidth to do it. Every advertiser tries to justify it, too. "We only send emails to people who want them" or other such tripe. Nobody wants to be part of a sales funnel. If the product is actually good and useful, it will sell itself by word of mouth.

click170 12y ago
What gets under my skin is the perception that they have this "right to be seen". Where 'being seen' means robbing me of my attention for a moment to try to sell me something I likely don't want, and every company and their dog is lining up around the block to be seen. This author has nailed it: "The ad industry has spent years cultivating a 'fuck you' attitude where they would do everything that was within their technical capabilities to spy on people and shovel ads on top of them. To now suddenly be concerned about the 'morality' of what other people do is the height of hypocrisy." When Ad companies start respecting my wishes, I'll consider respecting theirs.
tomjen3 12y ago
>Nobody wants to be part of a sales funnel. Maybe not, but lots and lots of people are wanting to buy things. I my case it is a car - if I go to a car dealer I become part of a sales funnel (a particular unprofitable one, but that is a side issue). >If the product is actually good and useful, it will sell itself by word of mouth. The cure for cancer will sell itself that way, yes. But even things that should sell, such as cheaper cellphone plans, don't.
- na85 12y ago
  >But even things that should sell, such as cheaper cellphone plans, don't Source? Anyone who's specifically shopping around for cell phone plans doesn't need to be force-fed advertisements. If anyone's unhappy with their cellular plan, they'll be shopping around. The hassle of switching cell phone plans greatly outweighs my dissatisfaction with my carrier at present. Therefore even if there are cheaper plans, they aren't so cheap that I give a shit. If Bell starts a 5$/mo plan with unlimited talk/text/data, word will get around and I'll switch.
  - tomjen3 12y ago
    As it turns out people don't tend to talk about which cellphone plan they use, unless actively asked. And you are totally right that people will be asking around if they are unhappy, but how could they know they should be unhappy with their current plan if they don't know yours is so much better?
punee 12y ago
Yes, that's why every successful company in the world spends 0 dollar on marketing and advertising. Right? They're just that dumb. If only they knew their products could sell themselves!

by na85 12y ago

click170 12y ago

What gets under my skin is the perception that they have this "right to be seen". Where 'being seen' means robbing me of my attention for a moment to try to sell me something I likely don't want, and every company and their dog is lining up around the block to be seen. This author has nailed it: "The ad industry has spent years cultivating a 'fuck you' attitude where they would do everything that was within their technical capabilities to spy on people and shovel ads on top of them. To now suddenly be concerned about the 'morality' of what other people do is the height of hypocrisy." When Ad companies start respecting my wishes, I'll consider respecting theirs.

tomjen3 12y ago

>Nobody wants to be part of a sales funnel. Maybe not, but lots and lots of people are wanting to buy things. I my case it is a car - if I go to a car dealer I become part of a sales funnel (a particular unprofitable one, but that is a side issue). >If the product is actually good and useful, it will sell itself by word of mouth. The cure for cancer will sell itself that way, yes. But even things that should sell, such as cheaper cellphone plans, don't.

na85 12y ago
>But even things that should sell, such as cheaper cellphone plans, don't Source? Anyone who's specifically shopping around for cell phone plans doesn't need to be force-fed advertisements. If anyone's unhappy with their cellular plan, they'll be shopping around. The hassle of switching cell phone plans greatly outweighs my dissatisfaction with my carrier at present. Therefore even if there are cheaper plans, they aren't so cheap that I give a shit. If Bell starts a 5$/mo plan with unlimited talk/text/data, word will get around and I'll switch.
- tomjen3 12y ago
  As it turns out people don't tend to talk about which cellphone plan they use, unless actively asked. And you are totally right that people will be asking around if they are unhappy, but how could they know they should be unhappy with their current plan if they don't know yours is so much better?

punee 12y ago

Yes, that's why every successful company in the world spends 0 dollar on marketing and advertising. Right? They're just that dumb. If only they knew their products could sell themselves!