Next Simpsons story line: Nedna

Nedna

"You decide. Will Ned and Edna stay together or separate?"

The Simpsons has been around a long time. The series has been running new episodes with great success for 22 years. For the first time that I can remember, they are letting the viewers decide where the series will go next. Will long time characters Ned Flanders and Edna Krabappel become a long-term couple or will they end their relationship? This is the choice for fans to make online at the Nedna website. Using a more modern form of advertising is one way that a show that was once headed for the classics channel to attract new viewers. The modern television audience wants to be involved in the programming. Using consumer engagement in their online advertising campaign, Fox will be able to attract new viewers.  Even more, when you make a decision on the website, you are given all kinds of options in staying involved with the show. "Like us on Facebook." There's also "I'm pro/against Nedna Wallpaper" for your computer. The website also encourages you to come back and participate in the future of the show. This form of advertising has become really popular with the younger generations of viewers. Involve me or I'll go somewhere else. Make me part of the process or else I'll find someone who will. Look for more shows and more internet ad campaigns just like this one. It makes for a good story that the show that has been around forever will still be around for a long time because it is willing to change and go with the flow.

Creepy Ads

Study Shows Targeted Ads Make Users Uneasy

 

 

 

In a recent study, 59% of people surveyed stated that they did not like companies tracking their tendencies to aid in ad targeting. Apparently advertisements are getting creepy Are ads getting creepy? Are more targeted ads invasive or useful? I tend to find them useful, but only because I'm familiar with how they work. Take Gmail as an example. Open a message and then check out the ads that are showing on your Gmail page. Odds are they are relevant to either the email you have open or other emails in your inbox. The best/worst part, depending on your view, is that over time these ads will become more and more specific to your likes and dislikes. Google does this by tracking which emails you open and read and which you discard or filter without even opening. By storing more and more data about you and your email preferences, Google can target ads that some seem to find invasive.  However, this is a great thing for advertisers. They can spend less money and be more effective than in the past. Some consumers though see this as an invasion of privacy. What if I see ads about my illness or about family matters? So you're concerned that Google may recommend the Cancer Treatment Center of America as an option because you have gotten several emails lately with keywords "cancer," "terminal," "won't live long," "funeral planning," and "dad's illness." Why does this bother you? Personally if Google wants to personalize my ads and keep me interested in the otherwise seemingly pointless ads, I'm all for it. This means I won't have to look at annoying Victoria Secret ads. Wait...maybe this thing is evil after all.