Please add "AI" to your Ads...

By now I’m immune to the ads that show up on the website and thanks to Readability, I don’t have to look at them constantly.

When these ads started, they were irrelevant, some non-sensical ad would just show up randomly on the webpage. However the business model worked. Intelligence got built in and now ads are relevant. You search for something that you are looking to buy, invest and they would follow you all over the web like a ghost for the next few months.

Well this was a welcome change for business.

Last year around Thanksgiving I decided to upgrade my Canon DSLR camera. I had been using my existing 50D for about 5 years now, and the urge to get a full frame camera had been on my mind. So sometime in the first week of September I search for a Canon 50D on 3 sites. BHPhotoVideo.com, Amazon.com and for some odd reason Google.com. Apart form the camera I also did a couple of searches for lenses and a camera bag. If I was upgrading, I was upgrading a whole lot of things.

For the next 12 weeks until Thanksgiving week, where ever I went, I could see ads for Canon 5D Mark III, Camera bags every where. BHPhotoVideo.com was the primary contender followed by Adorma and other places where a Canon 5D Mark III was available. I was not bothered by these add, but I would observe them from the corner of my eye when I would be checking my mails, or reading something.

Finally in November 3rd week I took the plunge and upgraded my self. The camera was delivered to me in 2 business days and Google with all its smart identified the tracking number in my mail box and of course there was the Google now card as well. Thanksgiving was good, the new camera was even awesome. I had a cool new later messenger bag for my new gear.  The Christmas tree went up and celebrations were all around.

After Thanksgiving I log back in and the first ad I see on the browser is for a Canon 5D Mark III from BHPhotoVideo.com.  These ad did not change. They were still there.

So basically,

1. Google knew what I was looking for and they started showing me ads.
2. Google scans my email to highlight any tracking numbers and also show me a Google Now card with the tracking number and the product tin transit.

So why the hell am I seeing this ad now? Why are they so dumb? I bought an item that I was looking for; they scan my mails and the know what have I bought; heck they would even know if I returned something.

So instead of seeing ‘RELEVANT’ ads like accessories for my camera, Lenses that my go well with my camera or even a cool Vacation package; I still see an ad for a Canon 5D Mark III from BHPhotoVideo.com.