Computers & Internet Are website banner ads designed for the specific person viewing them?

[JuddsABlue]

I am beginning to notice on randon websites with banner ads that majority of them are related to me (as in the products being advertised I have associated with online recently)

Are online ads now being directed towards people that use their products through IP address's or something?

Examples are;
Over the past month or so I've booked quite a few flights on Tiger air for some workers travelling interstate. I have also used Jetstar. On a lot of random websites (some completely unrelated to Australia/Air travel) the banner ads are now for Jetstar/Tiger airways. The idea of tiger airways advertising on some of the websites I've seen them are absurd (ie an American based website and tailors to Americans, though Tiger does not fly anywhere near or around America). I should also note I dont remember seeing any kind of Tiger ad before I started using them.

Another one is my bank that I use internet banking on. I havent seen an ad for another bank since I can remember, but constantly seeing ads for my bank for a new c/card or lower interest rate etc

So is there some magic ad machine that is logging my browising activity and ensuring the ads I see on websites and tailored to my daily living?

 

[bunsen burner]

So is there some magic ad machine that is logging my browising activity and ensuring the ads I see on websites and tailored to my daily living?

Yes. Tiger Airways pay Google to follow you around and stalk you because you are considered a better chance of getting your business (again).

 

[JuddsABlue]

Yes. Tiger Airways pay Google to follow you around and stalk you because you are considered a better chance of getting your business (again).

lol while I do sense the obvious sarcasm I'll still post some thoughts

It would be something more of a giant advertising agency, where Tiger and other 'X' companys go to for advertising, paying $X amount to this company because this advertising agency has a large number of advertising space over the web, and track visiting IP's and create 'profiles' for each IP and recently visited sites

So if IP 123.456.78.123 clicked on www.wesellshoes.com (not a real website) and that IP had previous hits on a company that has paid for advertising space (say 1m banner ads a month ((completely made up figure)) ) then that company would get priority advertisment, knowing full well that the person visiting that page is interested in their product

As an idea I think its very solid, I think the only issue would be getting somebody to write up a code that allows all of this, which is where majority of my doubt lies

If the code can be easily written, and people arent doing it, then I think I just found a way to get rich

 

[Silent Alarm]

Yeah, they are. Almost all the banner ads I see are for American Apparel, because I quite often buy things from their website.

 

[SugarShane]

Sure is. Has been happening for ages. Facebook ads do it too. When the Mrs started planning our wedding, all of a sudden her facebook was full of wedding dress and flowers and other wedding crap ads.

 

[bunsen burner]

lol while I do sense the obvious sarcasm I'll still post some thoughts

No sarcasm, just fact.

I have a a close affiliation with a company through my work. When ever I surf the web i see their ads. I asked them and they told me it is a google product and whenever someone visits their site they follow them around for a while.

 

[Quivorir]

Yep targeted advertising.

Look at a shit load of pr0n? expect a lot of dating site adds. Look at a shit load of video games? expect a shit tonne of dating site adds.

 

[Mint Condition]

It's called Google Remarketing. Basically it allows companies to advertise to people who have been to their website, wherever they go through the web (or at least to sites across the google display network).

 

[Gibbsy]

Isn't it something to do with Google Adsense and their tracking of cookies? Related ads or something like that. There's an extension for Chrome you can download which automatically opts you out of a lot stuff if you're that way inclined though.

 

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

Hope not, cos I'm in trouble if all these "Increase your penis size" adds are tailored for me....

 

[Bouvet_Island]

Hope not, cos I'm in trouble if all these "Increase your penis size" adds are tailored for me....

LOL - Well played!

 

[SA1NTER]

I get that Buddy Franklin ad telling me about Foxtel or something on websites that have nothing to do with sports at all. Maybe Google or the internet is trying to brain wash us all or something.

 

[ioppolo]

I get ads about cheap flights and new cars when I haven't looked on any site like that. I do get the dating site ads though.