googleads - Jezebel

posts about #googleads more →
Read It And Weep
Google Bads
"Get Your Man Back Now": The Horror And Humor Of GMail Breakup Ads

Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.

Dsmvwl Admin Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×

girl.of.your.dreams
06/25/09

In reply to Google Bads
Also, the advertiser here is Pronto.com, not Google. Not to say that Google and the other search engines don't partner with these advertisers, but there are a number of shopping aggregates that bid on just about every keyword in the book and have cut and paste ads ready-made for all searches. The responsibility that Google needs to take is catching them, so insensitive and downright offensive ads don't appear.
Reply

Schrodinger's Cat
06/25/09

In reply to Google Bads
As a marketing professional who takes advantage of Google's advertising opportunities, I don't see the value, for this specific "business," in placing this ad. These photographs represent a very niche need, and if I'm going to make protest signs depicting shocking photos of female circumcision, I'm going to do a direct search for them. What is the possibility of someone seeing this ad by coincidence, and saying "yes! finally! I've been wondering where I would find these..." The goal with a pop-up like this is to generate spontaneous, curiosity-driven clickthroughs to increase traffic to the website. I find this despicable--it's not a side show. Those photos represent considerable suffering and subjugation.

So obviously, whatever you do, don't ever click on this sort of thing...
Reply

Schrodinger's Cat was starred

girl.of.your.dreams
06/25/09

@Schrodinger's Cat: I posted below, but just wanted to add - if you were to click this site, there wouldn't be pictures. This is simply a shopping site bidding on every term in the book, without results.
Reply

alouette
06/25/09

@Schrodinger's Cat: Was it the kind that costs 0.10c/click through though? Cos in that case, maybe we should barrage them with ad fees ...
Reply

alouette was starred alouette was unstarred

Sputnik_Sweetheart
06/25/09

In reply to Read It And Weep
Excuse me, I have to go pick my jaw off the floor.
Reply

Sputnik_Sweetheart was starred

funnyface
06/25/09

In reply to Read It And Weep
That's my tip! I assure you, I'm not a hacker, had not been emailing or searching or chatting anything at all related to FGM. Had mentioned "penis" and "patriarchy" in a chat with a friend, but that's it. NO IDEA how I ended up with this ad.
Reply

funnyface was starred funnyface was unstarred

funnyface
06/25/09

In reply to Google Bads
It's my tip and my email-- I hadn't typed in anything at all related to FGM. The only thing I can think of is I had been discussing a sexist jerk with a friend in the chat area and the words "penis" "feminism" and "patriarchy" were used.
Reply

funnyface was starred funnyface was unstarred

NefariousNewt
06/25/09

In reply to Google Bads
Blerg. Despite all its advances, Google has yet to make it's search algorithms more discriminating.
Reply

NefariousNewt was starred NefariousNewt was unstarred

Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny.
06/25/09

In reply to Google Bads
Also, Boo-urns Google.
Reply

Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny.
06/25/09

In reply to Google Bads
Thank Goodness. I have been looking for pictures of female circumcision but only if they are at great prices.
Reply

Lolita Hazed
06/25/09

In reply to Google Bads
What would you get if you clicked "I'm Feeling Lucky" is what's making me feel weird.
Reply

Lolita Hazed was starred Lolita Hazed was unstarred

heykoukla
06/25/09

In reply to Read It And Weep
I don't think there is a great price for pictures of female circumcision, is there?
Reply

heykoukla was starred heykoukla was unstarred

hortense
06/25/09

In reply to Google Bads
BOO-gle, am I right? Booooooo-gle!
Reply

hortense was starred hortense was unstarred

BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit)
06/25/09

@hortense: Great minds, my dear...
Reply

seachange
06/25/09

In reply to Read It And Weep
Isn't it kind of an automatic thing where they insert whatever you were googling into their ad, like "Find ________ at great prices!"?

Still, really awful to imagine...
Reply

seachange was starred seachange was unstarred

MizJenkins
06/25/09

@seachange: I think it has to be.

::crosses fingers, hopes::
Reply

MizJenkins was starred MizJenkins was unstarred

funnyface
06/25/09

@seachange: It just popped up. I hadn't googled or emailed or chatted anything of the sort.
Reply

funnyface was starred funnyface was unstarred

save jinger
06/25/09

In reply to Google Bads
To be fair, Google ads just offer to sell you things you search. If you search "used tampons," this ad pops up on the side:

Used Tampons

Find great deals and save!

Compare products, prices & stores.

www.Shopping.com

I don't know about you, but I plan to shop around and find the best deal I can...
Reply

save jinger was starred save jinger was unstarred

kaiwhakamarie
06/25/09

In reply to Google Bads
I have a gmail account specifically for work and I really don't get some of the ads that come up while I'm working. Indian dating services, some really crazy porn stuff, pork recipes (I'm a vegetarian) amongst other things. None of them ever have anything to do with my job, my emails or anything I enter into google's search engine. How do they come up with that junk?
Reply

kaiwhakamarie was starred kaiwhakamarie was unstarred

ellaesther
06/25/09

@kaiwhakamarie: I would say that, given that this is Google, you don't know yourself as well as you think you do!

Clearly, the Google Gods have seen through you and found your desire to date Indians, look at crazy porn, and eat pork -- though, one presumes that the Indians whom you clearly lust over are neither vegetarian Hindus or Muslims. UNLESS...! Oh my Google Gods! Your deepest desire is to corrupt the youth of India with your porn and pork, isn't it?!?

How can you live with yourself?
Reply

ellaesther was starred ellaesther was unstarred

kaiwhakamarie
06/25/09

@ellaesther: Damn, you got me!
Reply

kaiwhakamarie was starred kaiwhakamarie was unstarred

alouette
06/25/09

@kaiwhakamarie: I use mine for work too, and I (strangely) get ads for my job's website. Bizarre, it's a smaller company, but it always gives me a chuckle. They seems to match my emails pretty well.
Reply

alouette was starred alouette was unstarred

BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit)
06/25/09

In reply to Google Bads
I am the old crone from Princess Bride. "Boooooooogle! Boooooooogle!"
Reply

hortense
06/25/09

@BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit): Oh hey! Beat me to it!
Reply

hortense was starred hortense was unstarred

Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion

#googleads

Jezebel

SUBSCRIBE TO Jezebel

Read It And Weep

Google Bads

"Get Your Man Back Now": The Horror And Humor Of GMail Breakup Ads

Login

Reset Password

Register

Submit Your Comment