Targeted Facebook ads

As a consumer and strategic communication student, targeted Facebook ads fascinate me. My amazement to see what they would come up with and show me what it thinks I want was triggered when I studied abroad, but has continued as I transition from home to Mizzou and go back and forth. It's not only what they can extract from my profile, but what brands are setting in their criteria that helps to target me--whether it be age, network, current location, etc.

Lately, I have felt that after I talk about something with friends, it arises in my targeted ads. I began to even feel like Facebook was listening to me in my daily conversation, which is a problem. In my mind, targeted advertising is comparable to swearing: it becomes an issue if it becomes so embedded in your mind that you are not realizing it. Therefore, rather than giving the internet this much credit, I began to ponder: what does this mean in terms of my internet usage? I deduced three overarching themes:

1. That I have too much information on my interests that are targeting these. New movies that were coming out or music recommendations are based on what pages you have "liked," and they cannot just guess what I liked. I myself have a selective criteria that is evident by the pages I have on there. It's easy to target chick flicks and top 40 music if that's what I have selected. 
2. I subconsciously AM searching such information online, but not noticing it. 

   

   This is clearly from search history, because Lowe's research was a large part of a class project on Home Depot. But do I realize how much I am researching these brands? Not at all.
   
   

   

   Lately, I've been shopping for new jeans and OCJ Jeans are a brand that a Maneater client of mine recently advertised about and we discussed via email. I am crazy to think that words sent in personal emails could be targeted, and am clearly reading into things. But it IS pretty ironic that this specific brand would arise, but showing me that I have probably looked at photos or options for new jeans online lately.  

3. Lastly, I might just be in the target audience by location or demographic and should not worry. I'm reading into things and giving Facebook too much credit. 

   

   
   

   This example probably arose on my profile because I am in the Mizzou network and college-aged demographic, but also have posted statuses about loving Christmas. My immediate first thought, I kid you not, was "It must have known that I created the ornaments for the Homecoming merchandise subcommittee!" Why would it know that? Who has the time to extract such information, especially if I didn't publish it? Nobody, not even a machine. Hence, you have to look at the bigger picture and not feel flattered by such targeting. 

For more information on Facebook's ad targeting, click here.