Sometimes I feel like my computer doesn't know me at all. What on EARTH makes advertisers think I'm interested in chainsaws? Or Philadelphia cheese? I'm not remotely interested in parenting classes either. Unsuprisingly, as I have no children, and I think it'd be a bit pre-emptive to take parenting classes in the unlikely event that I will have children any time soon. And sorry, tailor-made-ads, but I'm not into gambling, nor have I given any indication that I am.
I wouldn't mind if they were for useful things,for stuff I need like anti-allergy tablets or shoelaces that don't fray. Or if it was for stuff I like, for example t-shirts with giraffes on, or new strings for my ukuleles, or peppermint tea, or origami paper. Y'know, stuff I actually have a history of buying.
But what erks me the most about this though is not the massive mistakes made in some adverts directed at me, its the assumptions made about me because I am a young woman- I am not really interested in perfume- because I already smell awesome because I have awesome conditioner. I am not hugely interested in make up either because it is very rare for me to wear it; I have enough confidence to know that I actually quite like my face the way it is, and I don't need to put anything on it in order to feel comfortable leaving the house. So where are they getting the idea that this would be a good idea to advertise it to me? Because I am young, therefore I must have enough disposable income to spend on non-essentials, and because I am a woman therefore I couldn't possibly be happy with my face. C'mon, advertisers- I know we all have adblockers these days, but if you really want to sell ME something its going to probably have to be cake. Or cake related. You gotta try a bit harder to brainwash me with your corporate bullshit!
For now, I guess I'll resign myself to youtube pre-ads and so on, becaue really there isn't any harm in waiting 5 seconds to press the skip button. But all the same, my own ad-blocker has come in handy. And I recommend you all do the same.
What do you think? Do you get lots of weird ads on your computers? Do you feel like you are being put in a box by advertisers because of your age, sex or gender? Ever had an advert appear in the corner of your screen so hilariously far from its target market that you fell off your chair laughing? Let me know in the comments.
Today, this is me being skeptical about advertising:
See you tomorrow,
-Rosa
x
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