Thursday, March 24, 2011

Facebook Starts Targeting Ads in Real-Time:

Here's how it works, according Ad Age: "Any utterance will become fodder for real-time targeted ads. For example: Users who update their status with 'Mmm, I could go for some pizza tonight,' could get an ad or a coupon from Domino's, Papa John's or Pizza Hut."

Awesome! And if a user types "Man, I am super depressed by the encroachment of commerce into my most personal interactions," an ad for Xanax could pop up. If you type, "Whoa, why the hell is everything I say being targeted instantly with an ad," an ad for the self-help book "Dealing with Targeted Advertising" pops up. And if you type "Seriously, STOP IT... I'm so afraid," an ad for a remote country farm pops up, where you can go and live in obscurity for the rest of your days, un-targeted by advertising but completely friendless.