tellhimfred.com

Normally I hate advertisements. Especially TV ads, but online ads are just as annoying.

On my other two blogs I have ads. I’m pretty much trying to break even with these sites, but I’m nowhere near that yet. On those blogs, I have Google AdSense ads. I am not able to talk about how much I’ve made from them, as Google has sworn me to secrecy. Seriously. If I say something, a Google representative will show up outside my apartment door with a hot poker and a jar of habanero sauce.

Needless to say, I haven’t made much on those.

Then, I saw what I think is an awesome idea. There’s a new ad network out there called Chitika, which has what can basically be described as “comparison ads.” It works like this. Say you’re looking for an iPod. You go to a blog that has a post about iPods. You’re doing your research.

The blog has a chitika ad. Since chitika works using contextual advertising, the ad that is displayed is an ad for an iPod. Pretty simple, right? But here’s the innovative part: they don’t just show one ad or text links to the advertiser. Instead, the ad shows you a picture, then it shows up to three different prices from different sources. So it’s actually a resource rather than just an ad.

When people shop on the web, normally they want to compare prices, right? Well, this way, the advertiser is cutting out that step for you.

I never thought I’d see the day when I thought an ad would be useful.

On a similar note, there’s an ad I really hate out there now. It’s one of those Verizon business DSL vs. Comcast Cable Internet ads. If you live in the Boston area (not sure if it’s national, it might be), you’ve most likely seen this ad.

There’s a company meeting going on, and one of the guys in the meeting is hungry. There’s a box of donuts, and he really wants one. They are discussing the pros and cons of Verizon vs. Comcast for their internet needs. And right as the guy is about to grab a donut, a woman starts touching all the donuts and using them as a visual aid to compare the two internet companies.

The whole time, all the guy wants is a donut. That’s all. But no. He doesn’t get one.

And when the woman finally finishes her little ad hoc presentation, the donuts go back in the box. Then, for no real reason, a guy comes out of nowhere and grabs the whole box. The hungry man, dejected, just gives up.

It makes me so angry watching that. Just grab the stinking thing and eat it damnit!!!!!!!