Facebook can't get basic ad targeting right

Facebook has great features for users, but is having a hard time selling ads. The Beacon program attempts to get agreements from companies to pay Facebook in return for broadcasting purchasing information to friends as an indirect endorsement of the brand. Users revolted, and now Blockbuster, not Facebook, is getting sued for giving up a customer's data — not exactly an incentive for advertisers to sign up with the company's next "revolutionary" scheme. Meanwhile, Facebook can't even get the most basic demographic targeting right. Boinkology points to the case of Peter Knox who, while listed as "straight" in the Facebook database, can't seem to get away from come ons to talk to hot, gay men. Either Facebook's ad-placement algorithms are so good they can even pick up on latent homosexuality, or the company can't even run a basic query against user-selected preference in order to target ads.

2:40 PM on Thu Apr 17 2008
By Jackson West
1,369 views
13 comments

Comments

OnYourEnemiesList at 02:58 PM on 04/17/08
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maybe he has to many lurid gay sex messages in his msg box, or maybe he has just been poked by to many dudes.
yeodie at 03:05 PM on 04/17/08
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I think they're trying to recruit!
Adam Rock at 03:26 PM on 04/17/08
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Targeting, even.
HowardHughes at 03:46 PM on 04/17/08
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Peter Knox sounds like a gay porn start, what does he expect?
actright at 04:11 PM on 04/17/08
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It's up to the advertiser to target the ad... have you tried FB's ad system before?
s4xton at 06:20 PM on 04/17/08
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I love how my profile says I'm an athiest but I'm marketed for Christian-only hotties.
Duncan at 07:24 PM on 04/17/08
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My profile says Melb/ Married and I get singles ads for the place I previously lived on the other side of the country. Beacon is completely FAIL.
TheTypeset at 07:25 PM on 04/17/08
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@actright right on. Jackson West probably has "Cher" listed in his interests.
Brady Brim-DeForest at 09:24 PM on 04/17/08
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Actually, the advertiser is allowed to set the demographic they wish to target. Facebook provides the demographic granularity - the advertiser determines how to use it.
TheTypeset at 12:09 AM on 04/18/08
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@bradybd: but you can't target by sexuality. They probably just assumed people in the Gawker network would be up for anything.
MrMedia at 05:57 AM on 04/18/08
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what would happen if I changed my name to Chest Rockwell?
matto at 08:19 AM on 04/18/08
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Connectedness Index: 186
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@TheTypeset: Zing!
suckaduck at 09:46 AM on 04/18/08
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I'm Peter Knox, by the way, and I can't figure this out. My other friends, straight males on Facebook, don't seem to get these ads, but I do.

And after scanning my profile and information, even my online habits, I can't begin to figure out why I'm the target demographic for "Gayborhood" ads. Maybe it's because I have "Rent" under "Movies" but I won't apologize for having good taste.