Ever get sick of how Facebook thinks it knows what you are interested in by the personal information you put on your account? Theresa Valdez Klein has created a campaign of subvertising to combat Facebook's practice. Theresa is a marketing expert who noticed after she changed her relationship status from "in a relationship" to "single" she started getting these ads that were in some cases mean. For example, one said "Stop Driving Men Away." Her subvertising ads are designed to make people feel better about themselves and less guilty about the choices they have made in their lives.
Facebook ads, ugh! I noticed during the last two weeks I started getting the following: a dating site for seniors, an ad imploring me buy shoes for my grandchild (it used the tag line "Hey Grandma!") and an ad about helping me and other "older women" deal with aging, thinning hair. It seemed strange to me that I'd get served up these ads. First, I'm only 40 (is that really so old?). Second, I'm married (so a dating site?). Then I realized that my top status update was about my Granny. Specifically, it was about her passing, which made their ads particularly tacky. I marked them as offensive. Today I'm getting avocados and special deals for women.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. Loved the create your ad idea. Will be giving that some thought. How about a learning activity around that concept?
ReplyDeleteyes, this is awesome. thanks for sharing, mike. and for the new genre 'subvertising'. i just love it. i'll be on the lookout for her ads, and other ways to subvert the madness.
ReplyDeletehey, speaking of random things that are funny and cool, have you checked out 'mortified?' it's hysterical. there's a touring show, but i recommend buying this book 'mortified: real words, real people, real pathetic': http://www.getmortified.com/book/