Not digging the ad redirects
Today I started to get redirects to those annoying ads with the timers in them while browsing Serious Eats.
You know the type, you click a promising link on the SE page and are instead sent to a whole page with just one really incredibly fugly ad to some dark, dank place on the internet with the count down timer on it. Sure you can click "Skip Ad" but I never thought SE would stoop to those invasive ads.
Is this something SE staff know about or have any control over? No ultimately it doesn't take a lot of time to skip out of them, but they are incredibly unsightly and unprofessional and annoying as they forcefully submit you to bad ads.
Can anyone tell this is one of my net surfing pet peeves...?
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34 Comments:
I don't mind ads because I can ignore them. I don't like the ones that hide the "X" to close them. The ads that don't change the overall screen but launch a slightly larger picture aren't that big a deal. The first time I run my mouse point over them, I look at it as "Ok, you got me." The ones I really can't stand are those "ninja" ads that completely block out the SE screen and ask in very small print "skip this ad?" Why, yes, thank you. I'd love to skip this ad. What's worse - you have NO IDEA how you launched it in the first place. I don't like being completely hijacked by an ad. That's where I draw the line.
therealchiffonade at 6:43AM on 08/07/09
All right...In a five minute visit, I've been redirected 3x - two grabbing the stupid almonds and one by completely obliterating the SE screen and asking "skip this ad" - That's a lot of redirecting in a very short period of time. Not liking it.
therealchiffonade at 6:53AM on 08/07/09
Do you remember what link? I've never had that happen to me on SE. Perhaps you're less likely to be assaulted when using Mozilla Firefox as your browser? (I do get them on a couple of sites though).
lemonfair at 7:33AM on 08/07/09
Ditto what @chiff said--also, when the ads forcibly take over the screen, I forget why I clicked the post in the first place, because I'm so annoyed by that pop-up cartoon chick.
I'm honestly not opposed to advertising, but when it interferes with the ability of posters to interact in a free and open manner, then I start to tap my fingers....
HeartofGlass at 7:46AM on 08/07/09
@lemonfair - Nope, I use Mozilla and I started getting them a lot more, too. They are super annoying.
embolini9 at 8:13AM on 08/07/09
If you're running Mozilla, get the add-on called "No Script". It'll take care of everything interfering with your enjoyment of any webpage.
Amandarama at 9:01AM on 08/07/09
Very irritating. The first time I just gave up as it took forever to navigate away from the ad. Intrusive and disappointing.
juniper77 at 9:23AM on 08/07/09
I've said this so many times. Get an Ad blocker! It makes life nicer and you won't be griping at the wonderful people at Serious Eats. Whenever I see feedback like this, I'm so perplexed because I never have a problem with ads.
engmcmuffin at 9:39AM on 08/07/09
i thought my spam filter was malfunctioning..... i'm glad it's not just me who's getting the classmates.com ad and others.....
a bit unnerving .... but now that i know it's part of the site.....part of the scenery i guess.
pooch at 9:49AM on 08/07/09
Do not want.
Kerosena at 10:07AM on 08/07/09
Driving me nuts too. (no pun inteneded)
Makes me want to boycott almonds.....
CJ McD at 10:28AM on 08/07/09
I AM NOT DIGGING THEM, EITHER. We're trying to ID which ads are doing the redirects and exclude those from showing up. I'm really sorry this is happening.
On that note, for some reason, nobody here at SE HQ has seen these yet, so we can't ID them. So...
IF YOU SEE THE REDIRECT/HIJACK ADS, could you take a screenshot and email it to us at contact@seriouseats.com? It would be a huge help in getting them the hell outta here.
If you don't have the wherewithal to screenshoot, then even noting the company/companies in this thread would help. Or email us with the info (contact@seriouseats.com) or tweet us: @seriouseats.
Thanks!
Adam Kuban at 10:40AM on 08/07/09
To those suggesting ad blocking scripts, keep in mind that while you are enjoying all of the benefits of Serious Eats, you are essentially messing up their revenue stream. So, if one day we see a notice that part of the staff has to be laid off due to a decline in revenue, you can thank yourself for being part of the problem simply because some ads annoyed you a little.
Asado at 11:12AM on 08/07/09
@ Asado-The problem isn' t necessarily the ads, it's the redirects. They make me think I clicked something I didn't intend to click. No one likes to be hijacked by Netflix and screen savers.
Kerosena at 11:25AM on 08/07/09
I don't see any of them either except the almonds and if you do not MOUSE over the almonds it does not expand.
JerzeeTomato at 11:56AM on 08/07/09
@Kerosena I agree that if the ads are annoying you should voice your opinion. My point is that it does no good to suggest scripts to block all ads in order to avoid this kind of problem because of a few bad apples. I'm guessing that SE is trying out a new third-party ad system and they aren't fully aware of what's in the inventory or how the ads are served.
Asado at 11:58AM on 08/07/09
@Asado: You're correct. We switched to a new ad partner, and we're going through some growing pains as we try to adjust what shows and what doesn't. I wish this stuff were taken care of before we switched, but with some of these ads, we don't know about the annoyance factor until it pisses people (and me and SE HQ) off.
Adam Kuban at 12:04PM on 08/07/09
"Zwinky" Just redirected me...boooo
omnomnom at 12:35PM on 08/07/09
Zwinky got me a couple times yesterday and the "skip this ad" button didn't work. Had to back up and try again.
ProfessorChaos at 12:39PM on 08/07/09
I got Zwinky yesterday and Classmates.com today. I'm also getting some pop ups.
radish at 12:48PM on 08/07/09
I got Zwinky yesterday, a different one today (I didn't pay attention to who it was, just closed it and didn't think about it until I saw this thread, and I also got a pop-under from Netflicks.
dbcurrie at 1:17PM on 08/07/09
Good to see Adam jump on this. I use an rss reader and have not seen the offending ads but I agree that those timed redirect ads are as annoying as they come.
sloppy at 1:26PM on 08/07/09
Thanks everyone for the reports and our sincerest apologies!
This most definitely is not the kind of user experience we want for Serious Eats.
We've tracked down the issue and it shouldn't take more than one hour for the fix to propagate through our servers at which point you shouldn't see any more of the redirect or popunder ads.
Alaina Browne at 2:04PM on 08/07/09
I've had problem with Ad Block in the past blocking interactive features that weren't ads, so I avoid it.
Serious Eats never had those forcibly redirecting ads, the ones that take your screen hostage. It shouldn't because it disrupts the experience on this wonderful site.
@Adam: I verily will screencap the next one I fall on. They really are ugly things XD Maybe if they were actually about food, I wouldn't mind so much but they're all the unsightly web scam type.
You know...HERE, stare at a lovely picture of a gleaming, sizzling steak for 15 seconds!
Me: OKAY.
I think I might have gotten a "You've won a laptop!" pop under from SE, too. Can't confirm until it happens again, though.
I'm religious with scanning my comp for that kind of junk so I think it really is from the site.
fuuchan at 2:06PM on 08/07/09
@Alaina: That was fast! Thanks, guys! You guys are awesome!
fuuchan at 2:10PM on 08/07/09
Thanks Adam
CJ McD at 2:20PM on 08/07/09
Thank you - I had the classmates.com one yesterday too but nothing so far today.
CooksForOne at 3:13PM on 08/07/09
OK. Hope that worked! If you see anymore, raise the flag.
@cooksForOne: Hahah. Classmates.com. All I can think about is that ad with the nerd and the beauty queen: "She really ended up with him?" Or whatever.
Adam Kuban at 3:50PM on 08/07/09
I don't dig them either. I do, however, dig serious eats so I'll put up with them.
sorahatch at 5:04PM on 08/07/09
Dear Eaters: We're the new ad partner, and we owe you an apology.
We're here because we love what Ed, Alaina, Adam and the whole team do every day, and we share their passionate for making every visit to Serious Eats a wonderful one. You should leave the site entertained. Enlightened. Surprised. Maybe starving. But never irritated by ugly misbehaving ads that got through because we screwed up a setting on our ad server.
You deserve better. We're sorry that you didn't get it this morning.
Neil Chase, VP, Federated Media Publishing
Nchase at 9:26PM on 08/07/09
I got one for penis enlargement cream! What have you bastards at SE been telling the advertisers about me?!
Pavlov at 9:26PM on 08/07/09
Wow! Since when do you get personal letters from the ad folks?
I figured it wasn't intentional on anyone's part. The SE staff have been extremely good about responding to user questions and concerns.
Couldn't ask for a more satisfactory or prompt response from the SE staff and ad partners!
Thanks again. SE and associates continue to rock!
fuuchan at 11:08PM on 08/07/09
@Nchase: I didn't have the problem, but want to thank you for commenting here. That's outstanding service.
lemonfair at 6:39AM on 08/08/09
@ Ncase and SE staff - Thank you so much for your prompt attention to this matter. Above and beyond service.
radley24 at 8:51AM on 08/08/09