Political ads on Hearth.com?!?!?

[Warm_in_NH]

So the banner ad when I clicked on the Inglenook was a political ad. Anti - Obama care to be specific.

Now, I dislike all politicians equally but what's up with that?

If they're discussed heatedly the conversation gets "canned" but they can advertise and that's "okay"? Personally I really like reading the threads here because they're on topic and don't get into politics or religion and if they do its usually in a respectful manner. For the most part the mods do a good job and the members are mature, makes a nice place to read, share and educate.

I was just very surprised as most of the ads are useful and specific to the forums. Is this a sign of the new management?

Edit...Hearth.com not Heart, stupid phone, next thing ya know it'll be a dating site too!

 

[BrotherBart]

If you could right click on it if it comes up again and send the link to one of us we will put it on the blocked list. You are right. Those things have no business here. Those things and a bazillion spammers keep us busy trying to keep them out.

 

[firefighterjake]

Most likely google generated ads . . . you should see the ads in November in one of the big political years . . . especially if your state is voting on anything controversial.

I am often amused by the various ads myself . . . if my wife is looking up window drapes on some site I will find ads for drapes here . . . scary actually sometimes how the web knows what is being discussed or looked at.

 

[fossil]

Is this a sign of the new management?

No.

 

[BrotherBart]

My favorite is still the one the first month the old forum software was up. An ad for a feminine hygiene product kept showing up. We recently got rid of that thing with the envelope and saying "Urgent message open now". The boss finally had to block the domain to get rid of it.

Sometimes I think I know a little of what the guys at the Alamo felt like. A little.

 

[Warm_in_NH]

BB, tried to screen shot it, failed, will send a link of I see it again.

Fossil, I figured it wasn't just had to throw that in there, sometime s I can't help but to stir the pot..thus my appreciation for the lack of pots to be stirred around here. Keeps me outta trouble.

Jake, yep it was state specific as well. Google is scary big brotherish, it's just so convenient. ..lol.

 

[firefighterjake]

I like the ad where it says old, hot women want me badly . . . I'm still trying to figure out what prompted that ad to pop up.

 

[webbie]

It all depends on where you live. Being in NH you are target of vast amounts of cash looking to keep NH pink....

Years ago I saw nothing but Scott Brown ads....on my computer on hearth.com (I live in MA.).......

My dad once called me and asked why he was seeing viagra ads on hearth.com??? Hardy, har, har...he lives in Miami, what do you expect they are gonna deliver to old guys there? Surely not pellet ads......

I never blocked political ads (their money is as good as any, IMHO), but the ones I have seen were not the typical "anti" stuff - just promo for various candidates....

Heck, without the money for those ads, every major site on the net would go away....Yahoo seems 80% funded by that crap, and even other major media outlets are full of those newsmax "world is ending" or "priest finds biblical way to make buucoo bucks on wall street"...ads.

BTW, I have a great friend who is a printer and a republican - this despite the fact that he's jewish, liberal and open-minded. When I speak to him about ANY issue (like should health insurance be universal), he agrees.....

So I asked him why he's a republican. He says he gets the printing biz from their (GOP) campaigns so he has to at least go that far.....

But don't worry. Nothing has changed here in terms of ads....except it is likely that PACs are starting to buy ads, so they may show in some places (like they did before). Those people in states which are not battlegrounds will never see even one!

 

[gzecc]

I saw the hot women one. Thought it was something I was thinking. Assumed the computer was starting to read my mind!

 

[Warm_in_NH]

Webbie, I see. The ads are not actual sponsors, which is what I originally assumed as I often see the same ones for certain stoves, splitters, chimneys etc. The space is sold as a generic spot, rotating billboard type of setup, to an ad company who then sells the spots to whoever puts up the cash, eh?

Makes more sense that way. Not only have a learned about stoves here its now branching out into an e business education as well!

Yes, being in NH I'm dreading all the ads that will be coming from all the PACs. It's sad to see how much money is spent just to sling mud around.

 

[Paul L]

Living in Colorado I imagine it's only a matter of time before I see ads for bongs

 

[webbie]

Webbie, I see. The ads are not actual sponsors, which is what I originally assumed as I often see the same ones for certain stoves, splitters, chimneys etc. The space is sold as a generic spot, rotating billboard type of setup, to an ad company who then sells the spots to whoever puts up the cash, eh?

Makes more sense that way. Not only have a learned about stoves here its now branching out into an e business education as well!

Yes, being in NH I'm dreading all the ads that will be coming from all the PACs. It's sad to see how much money is spent just to sling mud around.

You got it! We sell google our "excess inventory" and they use a competitive bidding and targeting system which calculates things out billions of times per hour.....to serve ads.

We actually exclude certain categories of ads - usually get rich quick and various other types. We may have to adjust it a bit once in a while if offensive ads come up.

I never liked the political ads for reasons having nothing to do with politics! The reason is because the candidate (Scott Brown, for example) gets all the promo and we (hearth.com) don't get paid anything because most people don't click on political ads....because the message is already delivered. On the other hand, an ad for stoves or free ipads gets clicked on.....so at least we make a few cents.

I spend a lot of time surfing around the net....and I have to say that Hearth.com ads are much less "in your face" than 90% of the big sites out there. Not to say we are a non-profit....but we certainly are a "low profit" entity. Mostly, though, our creed is to keep ads and sponsors independent of content so that we are not trying to fool anyone nor is our editorial bought and paid for.

 

[homebrewz]

I keep getting this one at the bottom of the page.

I see similar ones on other pages.. "Electric Companies Hate Him!", and then they show some picture of a guy with a metal
box with lots of dials and switches. Wacky stuff.

 

[webbie]

Yeah, I've seen that one too - never saw it before recently.....

We will check the settings. Generally ads like that don't perform well anyway....

Some of this has to do with a technical factor called "responsive" layout. We recently changed many of the ads so they work better on smaller screens (fit to the screen). Google still calls that "beta", meaning everything is not yet perfect, so the responsive ad code seems to bring in ads that the regular code didn't.

Hey, if you clicked on it - thanks! I was gonna mention to the new owner that the pic there makes me think of him (in 20 years) because he has an avatar pic elsewhere of him with a red cap on!

 

[firefighterjake]

I keep getting this one at the bottom of the page.
View attachment 125334
I see similar ones on other pages.. "Electric Companies Hate Him!", and then they show some picture of a guy with a metal
box with lots of dials and switches. Wacky stuff.

I see that one a lot too . . . I keep thinking we should sponsor an ad with Backwoods sitting on his milk crate with the words "Ash Trees Fear Him" and "Oil Companies Hate Him" -- "Click here to learn how to heat your home cheaply with wood."

Right now I'm seeing an ad for Governor Christie . . .

 

[homebrewz]

haha.. that's a great idea.

Actually, I did just see that guy in the grocery store, and its true.. they were afraid of him (even though he kinda looks like Benny Hill).

 

[fossil]

Right now I'm seeing an ad for Governor Christie . .

You must have a wide screen.

 

[webbie]

Guess what types of ads I see?