Isabel Walcott Draves

Advertising world thinks Google isn't leveraging enough user data

"Advertisers have also been looking for Google to leverage its dominance in data into a full-feature behavioral-targeting ad offering. Google announced what it calls "interest-based targeting" last week, but Mr.[Michael] Hayes [of IPG] said, "given the breadth of their data, we haven't seen it yet." " Ad Age article (by Abbey Klaassen and Michael Learmonth)

Here's a serviceable description of Google's new initiative.  They've made more than a passing effort to put control in the hands of the viewer.  If you like ads, you can manage preferences so you don't see the wrong categories.  If you don't like the idea of having your search patterns trigger what people try to sell you, you can delete the cookie.

Don't Give Up on Vista

On the front page of the New York Times website this morning was a banner ad that I just had to click: "Don't Give Up on Vista", it said.  Could Microsoft actually have resorted to begging?

Of course not.  Clicking on the ad sends you straight to Apple's site for Mac OS X Leopard Guided Tour.

I think this is the funniest banner ad I have seen in a long time.  Go Apple!