Social networks are widely hailed for their unlimited ad-serving potential. After all, everyone from my generation (that much sought-after 18-34-year-old demographic) supposedly spends more time updating their Facebook profiles and throwing zombies at each other than we do, you know, working. Facebook's gotten some love for delivering the best social network ads, but truth be told, I've never actually clicked a single Facebook ad. If you think that has something to do with ad's I'm seeing, you're on the right track.
I've been served ads offering cash for my Wilco CDs and for the official "the Office" store, for job openings at nice L.A. steakhouses and for $190 pants -- an ad which strangely appeared below another offering help with my student loans. Now, if I were the type of person who could justify spending $190 on a pair of baby blue trousers called "No Scrubs," I probably wouldn't have needed that loan.
But these prove that Facebook knows me, at least a little. I adore Wilco, love "The Office," eat steak, live in L.A. and hey, who in their right mind doesn't like pants? But the one piece of information Facebook really knows is that I'm single, and they know that I forget all the time, so they help out by constantly reminding me. So in addition to the "23 and still single?" ad I am served every single time I login, I clicked around for a bit and came across these gems:
"Meet south Cali singles"
"Meet hot local women"
"Pick up lines for men: Meet beautiful women. Never feel lonely again."
C'mon Facebook, I'm never lonely. Can't you tell by the fact that I have 419 friends? Well, after that trifecta, I was greeted with this double whammy while checking my wall:
"Sperm donors needed. Earn up to $9,000. Great way to supplement your income."
"Single? Click here. Browse and connect with the sexiest college singles."
Facebook, you rascal. I'm blushing. In my house growing up, these simply weren't the types of things we discussed. Now what can beat that dynamic duo of ads? How about one that was probably aimed at a slightly older demographic?
"Are you postmenopausal? You could earn $3,126 for participating in a new study."
I mean, c'mon Faceook. You can do better than that. Well, on second thought, at least this would help pay off those pesky student loans...
