My face. In your face.
I hate advertising on the web. I hate unnecessarily intrusive advertising on the web. I hate unnecessarily intrusive advertising on the web of random people portraits to sell even more advertising on the web.
If you haven't encountered the new Google AdSense adverts yet, you probably will eventually - they're hard to miss. Double the size of a conventional 'skyscraper' banner ad, they feature smiling Google AdSense customers quoting their stories of success. I wonder if this overused concept really works? You'll notice it everywhere... on packaging, buses, billboards, television... online.
Well look, Bob! He's smiling! It's gotta work, why else would he be smiling? I've never met the guy, he could even be a rendered 3d model from Pixar for all I care... but... he's happy - I'm sold!!
I don't think I've ever intentionally clicked on a Google AdSense ad. Like most banner ads, I've subconsciously trained myself to ignore them while scanning the content of a web page. They're distracting, and if relevant are not worth the click anyway since a Google search on the subject will yield better results. Yet they have public appeal so will probably be around for a while still.
Thank god for ad blocking.
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8 Comments
Chances are they probably hit your page from a Google search in the first place.
A 70% chance if statistics are to be believed.
The ads do serve a purpose for the average consumer-type user. Whereas we as internet/programmer types tend to filter it out, a vast majority of people do not in fact have this gift we possess. A lot of advertisment doesn’t, in fact, try to get you to buy their items immediately, but instead places an initial emphasis on brand awareness and a flooding of information to the public.
I definitely agree those ads to promote brand awareness of the Google Adsense program are overly humongous and need to be toned down (or removed).
I suppose I’m just trying to exploit google and the lower life forms.
In this particular case it’s a hit/miss situation to convince the viewer the first time around – I doubt their focus is brand building since they’re already one of the most widely recognized.
Considering their target market is us “internet/programmer types” they should be trying a more tech-savvy approach. Happy strangers taking over my browser doesn’t do it for me.
okay – so you guys should just agree to disagree :)
And coda, yr correct – this year google kicked off Coca-Cola from the top spot in Brand awareness!
Erm…the ads are trying to bring about greater awareness of Google ADSENSE, not Google…and also to bring it within the uber easy reach of the layman non-programmer.
That I believe is the point of the ad campaign.
Settle down beavis. :D
I call them ’smilies’ and big business love to use them. Random people (who are usually paid models anyway) grinning like they’ve just got laid, to give you joy-joy feelings that will be related (at a subconcoius level) to whatever they are advertising. Theres a classic example of ’smilies’ in the new branding for the Telecom website here in NZ.
I don’t know about you, but they creep me out ;)
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24 February 2004
Chris11:55 am
Google 4ds3ns3 0wnz.
Doing a Google search, for say “Grand Prix Tickets” or “Russian Bride” returns pretty much the same result set that’s displayed in my skyscraper…it’s information the user might be interestedin finding sans extra search steps.
Also, if it buys me a new game title every 3 months or so, then how can I complain? :)