Month: September 2022

Advertising Algorithms Actually Annoying

I realise that this post is not exactly breaking news. However, I’m in a bad mood as I’ve just had to boot a consistently negative Nelly all the way out of my mostly magical real life. Which got me thinking how much I’d like to boot all of the ongoing stress inducing negativity off my screen too.

Bad mood.

Our moods definitely shine a light on things and this grump I’m in cast a spotlight on my current, ongoing and growing annoyance with social media and advertising algorithms.

So here is what I’ve done:

I scrolled down my @deehobbit instagram feed and screenshot the first few advertisements.

Context… ?

I’ve recently started at the gym for mental and physical hygiene. I’m not obsessed or anything and I’ve taken the week off as I had an exposure event two Friday’s ago the day after returning from Wellington. Tested Tuesday after the fact and had a weak positive RAT. Three negatives since but I chose to err on the side of caution as I quite often do these days.

So anyway.

Here’s the lay of the land as I scrolled this morning. Every 3rd-10th post was an annoying unwelcome advertisement despite the fact I follow hundreds of active accounts I WANT to see content for. Cheeky fuckers. Ramming stuff down our throats just so we can keep in touch with people we actually choose.

Seems to me nearly every one of those advertisements was preying on my insecurities… wait one ☝️ add was for a sauna 🧖‍♀️ which we have actually been discussing buying for the retreat… and another encouraging me to watch a mycology documentary I have already watched several times. Soooo… most pandering to insecurities some just verified I’m a crunchy granola off gridder/regenerative geek these days.

ANYWAY! Here they are:

How many women look like these three? I know solid superhero healthy weight training goddesses like my amazing niece Myra who are fit and healthy and look absolutely nothing like this. Why can’t she be in an add like this? I’d be far more likely to click that little “learn more” button if she was.
Yes I’m 44. Yes I buy skincare products. No I don’t want or need more plastics and junk in my cosmetic drawer at this particular junction in my life. Far happier buying zero waste vegan and natural product like Ethique thanks. I never see Ethique adverts strangely… like actually never. See lots of content from the fierce fabulous founder. Hmm 🤔 wonder what that’s about.

Don’t currently have bunions. This advert literally only served to make me more than mildly grateful for my feet. My grandma had bunions… not fun. Anyway. Guess I fit the demographic.
I’m so please this powerful goddess is so fit and healthy. Yeah I have PTSD yes I should do more yoga. No I will never look like her no matter how much yoga 🧘‍♀️ I did. Anyway. Nope.
More nope.
I do buy mushroom tonic powders. Not buying this though sorry not sorry.
I’ve seen this documentary I lots and love it. But I don’t need to see the advert anymore thanks.
This is a business based in Dunedin I did actually do some further research on. It’s not cheap but looks fabulous and empowering and one day I suspect I’ll partake. Soooo… I can’t say advertising doesn’t work because clearly sometimes it does.
Sauna add… this one makes sense based on recent discussions about our business.

So. That’s all I’ve got bandwidth for today. I’m going to be taking another social media break soon. In the meantime I’m going to get myself into the garden to get myself out of this decidedly shitty mood.

Wish you a very happy holiday Monday whatever you’re up to and thank you for reading.