e.politics: online advocacy tools & tactics

On the Occasional Quirkiness of Google Ads (Or, Should Angela Merkel Worry?)

March 5th, 2009

This in from friend and e.politics contributor Burt Edwards a few days back:

OK, so it’s a slow Sunday morning and I’m doing my version of reading the morning paper (which for me is checking my regular papers online as well as a couple of other sources like Google News). And as it so happens, there’s a story I’m curious about in the International Herald Tribune (IHT) entitled: “Germany rejects calls for Eastern Europe bailout.”

Now the story, it turns out, was pretty short and to be honest not all that interesting. But when I looked down the page I saw the following Google ads (see below) and THAT was interesting. [This beats the time I was buying tickets to a jazz concert online @ Ticketmaster and the verification word was "Aryan" -- true story ...]

I’m not sure what it says about what keywords are in the article or what cookies I might have on my Mac, but while the last three ads make some sense, I’m stumped about the first one. Has Chancellor Angela Merkel been having problems at home??

And exactly how would one get their husband/partner/boyfriend/ whatever to take a quiz like that if they had been wondering about the issue. I mean what would the conversation be like. And what would the questions be in the quiz? (Does your husband seem to enjoy “Project Runway” a bit too much? Is he interested in football, but not the cheerleaders?)

— BTE

THE ACTUAL ADS COPIED FROM THE PAGE…

Ads by Google

Is your Husband Gay?
Test your Husband with this Quiz & See if He is Gay or Not.
www.mydailymoment.com

Obamas Economic Stimulus
Some Say It’s Bogus. But, I Just Got a $12K From the Govt. Read How.
www.GovtStimulusPlan.com

Fly Cheap to Germany
70% off Germany Air Fares Compare Germany Flights – Save
Germany.Flights.Asia.com

The Ford Story
See Ford’s Progress on their Plan to Make the World’s Best Vehicles.
TheFordStory.com

Hmmmmmm? Something having to do with a “rejection,” perhaps a “failed stimulus?” And……we’re done here.

– cpd

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