I Love Ads (this isn’t an ad for ads)
Recently, Apple announced that it will now allow developers to make and sell ad blockers in the new version of iOS. This has brought up an old debate amongst content creators and content consumers— i.e., almost everyone. Are ad blockers ethical? Do they make a form of stealing possible since most websites make their revenues off of the ads? Would better ads help? There are (or were — we move on quickly these days, and this discussion might already be mostly over) a lot of opinions one can hold here. But, it seems that we all can agree on one thing: ads are bad — either inherently, or conceptually, or technologically. Ads are bad: they exist simply to trick us into buying things we don’t need or can’t afford; they are ugly and invasive and detrimental to the “content” they surround; they are tracking us! Ads are bad.
It’s possible I’m the only person on Earth who loves ads. And I don’t mean I love the best ads ever created, the iconic ads. I love current website advertisement.
Let me explain why.
Web ads — the ones most people think of as annoying, the ones that follow you around and target you — save me a lot of time. I use them, in my daily travels around the internet, as reminders, and they are extremely reliable. I can always count on the ads to help me get through my day without being bogged down with too much content.
I put a bunch of stuff in an online cart last week from the Baby Gap. Then I realized I had a coupon (I know, I’m getting old) for 50 bucks off, but it wasn’t valid until 9/16. So I had to wait. 9/16 was yesterday. And you know, at some point yesterday morning, I saw a banner ad running down the side of a website for the GAP. And I looked at my watch and damn, it’s 9/16. Time to check out. Thanks, web ad!
This happens CONSTANTLY. So often I’m wasting my time reading “content” when I should be buying necessities online, and web ads are always there to remind me — “Hey! dumbass reading your 1,000th Clickhole article: you need diapers! Why not get them at Diapers.com!?” “Thank you, web ad!” I click on the ad (I swear to God: why not use them as navigational tools?) and order whatever I need.
And it’s not just in matters of shopping that I find web ads to be extremely useful. Yesterday, I published a piece about my poor eyesight and experiences wearing contact lenses at The Awl, and just minutes later, as we were discussing my love of ads, my friend Lindsey pointed out an ad:
There, right next to my 2,000 word article bemoaning my poor vision: an ad for LASIK. Damn, that’s a helpful ad. You’re right, ad, I do need LASIK! I would never have had these complaints if I’d just gotten the procedure years ago! This is an ad that would SAVE ME MONEY over a the course of a few years, because if I get LASIK, I won’t need to buy so many contact lenses all the time! Click.
I’ve found so many new services via web ads: Blue Apron (meal delivery) & The Honest Company (baby and home stuff) are just two companies I’ve discovered via web ads. I know that EVENTUALLY I’m gonna end up ordering a pair of Italian shoes from that M. Gemi place that always runs ads on my Facebook: it’s only a matter of time!
This morning, as I was contemplating writing a blog post wherein I admit to loving website ads, I browsed on over to The Verge (where I used to work). There at the top of the site, a massive ad (I don’t know anything about ads, so I don’t know what KIND of ad it was) for the new season of Doctor Who, which is apparently starting TOMORROW at 9 pm. I am a busy woman. I do not have time to calendar upcoming seasons of shows I would like to watch. This ad doesn’t induce me to shop: it reminds me that Doctor Who is coming back on the air, finally.
Look, it’s true that as a freelance writer, I make money because web ads exist. I’m not saying I’m not biased. I’m also so lazy that I would never in a million years install an ad blocker. I hate the ads that roadblock you for precious minutes, not allowing you to see any of the content until the ad is done running. I prefer banner ads! For the most part, I choose to take the ads and make something good out of them. I know mine is a minority opinion, but I don’t care. I love ads, and my only hope is that they’ll get even better at targeting me in the next few years because I cannot for the life of me remember to buy tampons or get the oil in my car changed.
