Meet the Press?
Recently as I researched for a piece I was writing on behavioral targeting, I went on Facebook and saw that the three ads served to me in the right column were directly related to the first three activities I listed in my Facebook profie: writing, cycling, fitness. The ads were for a literary agent, a bike tour in France, and and an online fitness program. It’s behavioral targeting 101. Behavioral targeting allows advertisers to use personal information to target specific individuals based on their interests, location and anything else they choose to share in a username and password protected environment like Facebook.
Today I saw one of the best: a convergence of paid advertising, behavioral targeting and social conversation. After all, social media is all about participation and engagement. Advertisers are learning how to get in on the fun, and in this case they did not annoy me. And the ad had an interesting twist.
Facebook knows I sometimes watch Meet The Press, so a media buyer paid Facebook to serve me the ad you see here. What I like most is that it’s not the kind of ad we’ve been pummeled with for the last several decades. Look at it. Sure, there’s ad info there: Rachel Maddow is scheduled to appear on the show presumably this Sunday, which obviously means something to some people. But intrigue is invoked by presenting the possibility she won’t show. And the “Oh, my” factor is not addressed until you click through. And when you do…
It’s not an ad for the show. The ad was not placed by NBC News. The ad was bought by the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians who have a beef with with NBC over some union issue. You can see the ad here. Now I know. Good job, NABET or whatever you call yourself. You win this week’s – and our first – Weejee Weekly Ad Award.
Why is behavioral targeting not a bad thing? >>
Google vs. Facebook >>
