Yes, it has been quite a while since I made a boob post but I can't help myself tonight. Yesterday I was searching through political campaign contributions online (yes they are public record) and I saw this new all-time low flash ad from perennial skin peddler True.com. Sure the ad was professionally done in Flash. It includes some nice faux chatting functionality, and the use of streaming video/photography within the k-size limits is impressive; seriously the ad was designed and creatively implemented in a highly professional manner.
However, the ad included scantily clad women, two of them in fact 
with the caption that reads "2.1 million gay singles" which for an ad network buy seems a little too trusting. Obviously you can do a lot these days with ad network buys including demographic targeting, age targeting, gender, and of course behavioral targeting (hold on I can hear your laugh in your head). However, I'm fairly easy to track to the internet, definitely haven't exhibited female traits (yes funny), happily married for almost 14 or so years, and definitely have not visited websites that would flag me to see an ad like that (not that there is anything wrong with that). However, the dating ad appeared on a campaign finance report which ummm probably wouldn't lend itself to a dating ad especially one that appears to require a higher level of targeting than currently available.
Look I can appreciate using attractive women to sell products, but the True.com ad assumes a level of targeting that isn't available today, especially on a network ad buy. Sure, ads like this can be served on specific sites and they can be beautifully contextually targeted, but cheap network buys sometimes don't pay off no matter how low the rate is. BTW - to quiet down your snickering, I am paid to sell products online so I do pay attention to display ads more so than the average internet surfer. Anyway, enjoy the ad.
PardonMyFrench,
Eric
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