Social Ads- a First Take

I share your initial and secondary reactions. I can count on one hand the number of banner ads I’ve ever clicked on.

Heck, I block Doubleclick.net in my hosts file, just to cut down on the number of animated ads I see for products I care nothing for.

I don’t want to see the meta-conversation about an ad (most of the time).

I share your initial and secondary reactions. I can count on one hand the number of banner ads I’ve ever clicked on.

Heck, I block Doubleclick.net in my hosts file, just to cut down on the number of animated ads I see for products I care nothing for.

I don’t want to see the meta-conversation about an ad (most of the time).

Chris,

I am not sure that I want social ads.

I like the idea of clicking through an ad and starting a conversation with the company; just not sure how well that would work.

I also do not see how it could work if I could comment on an ad and then the company could respond. To me that would seem like a closed way of communicating versus a true social aspect where we could communicate openly or in real time.

Still not sure about the whole subject, but curious to see where it goes.

John Lusher

Chris,

I am not sure that I want social ads.

I like the idea of clicking through an ad and starting a conversation with the company; just not sure how well that would work.

I also do not see how it could work if I could comment on an ad and then the company could respond. To me that would seem like a closed way of communicating versus a true social aspect where we could communicate openly or in real time.

Still not sure about the whole subject, but curious to see where it goes.

John Lusher

aren’t your blog posts kind of like social ads?

aren’t your blog posts kind of like social ads?

Like it or not companies are eventually going to have to take that bet and we are going to have better products and better service because of it.

It’s already happened. We don’t have to buy Music Albums of crappy songs we don’t want just in order to get the one great song we want and have to have.

Back in the old days in any small town if the butcher cheated someone everyone in town knew about it.

Now because of social media we all just moved to small towns and the butchers better look out because if they do us wrong everyone in our social media groups will know about it.

Like it or not companies are eventually going to have to take that bet and we are going to have better products and better service because of it.

It’s already happened. We don’t have to buy Music Albums of crappy songs we don’t want just in order to get the one great song we want and have to have.

Back in the old days in any small town if the butcher cheated someone everyone in town knew about it.

Now because of social media we all just moved to small towns and the butchers better look out because if they do us wrong everyone in our social media groups will know about it.

I agree with you here Chris.

The “creative” of the ad would have to be quite something, which makes it hard for the company to constantly hit a winner each time. I wouldn’t want to be the creative director in charge of that portfolio!

And then there’s a company taking such a “risk” of both sides as you say Chris. Can’t see that. Also, too much resources to monitor that, and not sure the value is there in marketing ROI terms either, really.

I agree with you here Chris.

The “creative” of the ad would have to be quite something, which makes it hard for the company to constantly hit a winner each time. I wouldn’t want to be the creative director in charge of that portfolio!

And then there’s a company taking such a “risk” of both sides as you say Chris. Can’t see that. Also, too much resources to monitor that, and not sure the value is there in marketing ROI terms either, really.

I think a lot would depend on the kind of Ad it was. The burden would be to create creative, engaging content—it couldn’t be just a regular ad. If it were interesting and raised issues people were interested in discussing I think it would work. There’s been tons of discussion about the new Microsoft ad. If that were happening in Microsoft’s space instead of just all over the internet it would ad a meta-level to the ad, because Microsoft would be hosting the conversation—and then people would talk about that too…Obvs if it were something Tide Gets The White Out—then not so much

I think a lot would depend on the kind of Ad it was. The burden would be to create creative, engaging content—it couldn’t be just a regular ad. If it were interesting and raised issues people were interested in discussing I think it would work. There’s been tons of discussion about the new Microsoft ad. If that were happening in Microsoft’s space instead of just all over the internet it would ad a meta-level to the ad, because Microsoft would be hosting the conversation—and then people would talk about that too…Obvs if it were something Tide Gets The White Out—then not so much

As the advancement of social marketing evolves you will always have ideas that when put into practice will fail. I understand what the marketing company is trying to do, but I see it as a interuption without end. I am not going to completely dis the idea. Look what people were saying about blogging when it first came into play. “its something that will give someone unedited free speech to bash a person, product, or service with recourse”. Now look at where it is today.. It will be interesting to watch.

As the advancement of social marketing evolves you will always have ideas that when put into practice will fail. I understand what the marketing company is trying to do, but I see it as a interuption without end. I am not going to completely dis the idea. Look what people were saying about blogging when it first came into play. “its something that will give someone unedited free speech to bash a person, product, or service with recourse”. Now look at where it is today.. It will be interesting to watch.

I just put up a post about ads on Twitter and now here we are again. I pretty much never click on banners ads but sometimes click on Google ads if they seem relevant and how will this be different than the conference ads many of us have on our sites?
We know it’s going to happen and it’s kinda fun watching people figure out how they are going to do it.

I just put up a post about ads on Twitter and now here we are again. I pretty much never click on banners ads but sometimes click on Google ads if they seem relevant and how will this be different than the conference ads many of us have on our sites?
We know it’s going to happen and it’s kinda fun watching people figure out how they are going to do it.

@matt – not sure I get your point. I don’t get paid, so no, they’re not ads. They’d be promotions, insofar as I write that I love things.

Things where I might have a business relationship are disclosed on my about page.

Is that what we’re talking about?

@matt – not sure I get your point. I don’t get paid, so no, they’re not ads. They’d be promotions, insofar as I write that I love things.

Things where I might have a business relationship are disclosed on my about page.

Is that what we’re talking about?

I love the idea of making ads into something social. My friends are the best people to know that I’m looking for something and bringing me into a conversation about a good ad (at the right time) would really be useful to me; something to help me make a decision. That would certainly improve on what the traditional media planner/ buyer has been trying to do. My suspicion is that advertisers will try to wrap up some social tools in the same old interruptions.

As for advertisers coping with the good and bad comments…I think it’s inevitable and a necessity. You can’t get this close to the consumer and expect to keep editorial control!

I love the idea of making ads into something social. My friends are the best people to know that I’m looking for something and bringing me into a conversation about a good ad (at the right time) would really be useful to me; something to help me make a decision. That would certainly improve on what the traditional media planner/ buyer has been trying to do. My suspicion is that advertisers will try to wrap up some social tools in the same old interruptions.

As for advertisers coping with the good and bad comments…I think it’s inevitable and a necessity. You can’t get this close to the consumer and expect to keep editorial control!

Uh – this was done before,right? Remember Chevy allowing people to create Tahoe ads? And then people creating anti-tahoe ads using the same campaign?

It always depends on what the ads are, if they’re being censored, and how much creative freedom they allow.

If they create a Hummer ad saying “it’s just awesome” – people will dump on the ad. But if they come out with “the new Honda. 300 mpg” people will have a different response – unrealistic, I own one an love it, etc. It’s a throw of the dice.

Uh – this was done before,right? Remember Chevy allowing people to create Tahoe ads? And then people creating anti-tahoe ads using the same campaign?

It always depends on what the ads are, if they’re being censored, and how much creative freedom they allow.

If they create a Hummer ad saying “it’s just awesome” – people will dump on the ad. But if they come out with “the new Honda. 300 mpg” people will have a different response – unrealistic, I own one an love it, etc. It’s a throw of the dice.

Just found you today from Twitter, Chris. Nice to meet you.

Controversy creates opportunity. At a minimum, the first few ads will generate plenty of inbound traffic as you, me, and scores of others feature the ads in our blogs.

The social media folks will pick over it and perhaps, *perhaps,* consumers will follow.

Just found you today from Twitter, Chris. Nice to meet you.

Controversy creates opportunity. At a minimum, the first few ads will generate plenty of inbound traffic as you, me, and scores of others feature the ads in our blogs.

The social media folks will pick over it and perhaps, *perhaps,* consumers will follow.

One of our findings in bringing TV content to new media platforms, has been that “conversation puts content on steroids”. Whether its a live TV feed or VOD ‘catchup’ or even text-to-screen.
Crap content usually gets fairly ignored, but anything worth watching usually attracts conversation

I can’t see why this wouldnt work for advertising too, crappy ads get ignored or insulted, and good ads get the steroid effect of conversation. Sounds like a decent filter mechanism already :)