Comments on: Behavioural Targeting Fail

By: Sabotage | PhD in Parenting

Sabotage | PhD in Parenting — Tue, 05 May 2009 03:55:16 +0000

[...] I don’t like formula ads to begin with, but what is particularly offensive about the one on Blacktating and many others is that they pretend to be a breastfeeding site, a place that you might be able to get support. I’ve seen this type of thing before and noted it in my post behavioural targeting fail. [...]

By: phdinparenting

phdinparenting — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:52:31 +0000

@TheFeministBreeder – Considering the number of people that still order free breastfeeding support kits from formula companies, I’d say the chances of people changing their behaviour is slim.

By: TheFeministBreeder

TheFeministBreeder — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:48:49 +0000

It can certainly be an ethical issue – especially the retargeting aspect. Our company offers a retargeting product that allows major manufacturers to conquest intenders of another product – so these formula companies are basically buying “breastfeeding” beacons, and retargeting anyone who’s been pixeled with a “breastfeeding intender” beacon.

If people knew this, I wonder how it would change their behavior? I wonder if they’d realize they were being had? I wonder if they’d know how hard the formula companies work to undermine their breastfeedind efforts?

Lesson to people – clear your cookies constantly.

By: phdinparenting

phdinparenting — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:42:16 +0000

@TheFeministBreeder I’m involved in search engine optimization stuff for some of my clients and involved in marketing stuff for others, so I’ve come across it in my work. I’m getting increasingly concerned about the ethics of how it is used in some cases, especially when you start seeing formula ads popping up under a heading of breastfeeding help.

By: TheFeministBreeder

TheFeministBreeder — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:39:01 +0000

congratulations on knowing what the term “behavioral targeting” means. I didn’t know that anyone outside of the advertising industry knew what it was, but it can be a frightening concept. I work in advertising and BT is my daily life.

By: Allie

Allie — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:27:56 +0000

Those remind me of the “Breastfeeding Success Kits” many hospitals give out in the states- they all have bottles and formula in them ?!

By: phdinparenting

phdinparenting — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:36:52 +0000

@Ann Douglas – That would be great, wouldn’t it?

By: Ann Douglas

Ann Douglas — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:40:58 +0000

Do those black magic marker marks show up when you object to an ad?

By: milkmama

milkmama — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:26:06 +0000

They sure did get that one wrong! lol

I also find it sad that there are so many of these.

By: Naomi

Naomi — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:17:41 +0000

I see that all the time, very bothersome. I have a little ad square on mine but its so far down the page I have no idea what is even on it.