Ugly Square Ads (split)

[Ma Twit]

That would make people even more outraged. Players will start saying that Neopets is letting us pay real money to get Neopets stuff.

They already do that with RiC's don't they? And I keep hearing it about premium too

I understand it not being the way they "do" things - but at the same time, it's *their* site, they can make the rules?

And yeah, premium *is* kinda the same thing anyway, except that you can't GET premium for only $5/month anymore You could when I signed up (I signed up for the $40/year - or was it $49?), and I was happy to pay it, but I can't afford $8/month (or $70/year)

Maybe they just need to bring back a different level of premium access again? So that it *is* more affordable for everyone?

[Alex]

Idle banter about browsers aside (let's face it folks, not everyone uses the same browser, and nobody should have to change their browser because of how under-handedly Neopets is bombarding people with advertisements)

I think it's time something was done.

Petitions, letters and whatnot do not work, we know this. Begging TNT to consider how the players feel does not work. Threatening Neopets not to buy their merchandise does not work.

But let's put all this into perspective...

The new lower ad, (and the big bannerzilla at the top) can't be bringing too much revenue into Doug's pockets. Most of those sponsors are just two-bit, small town, spyware-dealing losers. Sure, it's extra cash, but probably just enough to pay for him to detail his SUV every week.

We know where the money comes from, it's the big sponsors. Free ipods are good for spare change, but McDonalds, Kraft, Disney, General Mills...those legit sponsors are the ones buttering Doug's bread.

Writing a company like McDonalds saying "I will no longer eat at your resturant" does nothing. They get a million letters/email like that a day from irate customers who got a wrong order, or poor service.

THEIR PUBLIC IMAGE however, is something they take much more seriously however....

Imagine how someone over at Disney will react seeing a screenshot of their Disney Theatre, coupled with a big fat "Who's going to get pregnant next?" ad right below it. Disney prides itself in "family entertainment" and imagine how their execs would feel knowing their name and logo is being associated with low-ball trash.

Or general mills...seeing their big sponsor dollars going to waste as their cereal adventure is being smothered by some birth control top banner ad...

Take the pics, send them to the companies, and threaten to alert the media (hmm...maybe those dorks over in Australia whom we jeered so much could provide useful for a change?).

Doug won't listen, but his wallet will if his "big sponsors" put the pressure on him.

I'm all for this. Let me know how I can help.

Even if it's alerting my media, once there's enough accurate information available.

[valerielundberg]

Don't turn this thread into a personal argument. There was no need for the above comments, and obviously they have been removed. If you feel that something is unjust, or unfair, or insulting on any thread, anywhere on this forum, PM a moderator, global moderator or administrator about it and explain the situation, rather then starting a petty fight.

Not sure why my post was removed, as I was merely showing how incorrect it was for Val to refer to the information I gave a few pages back as "idle banter". So what was the post deleted: Defending one's self from the thoughtless comments of a regular poster? The moderating here is getting as bad as the neoboards. Don't bother with a warning...just delete my account please...this place isn't worth the time.

Syn, I must have missed your posting...I went and got me a few hours shuteye after my last post.

You must have misunderstood me, I wasn't trying to downplay the info and advice of people about changing browsers. My main point was nobody should have to (under ideal circumstances) resort to changing their browser just to play neopets...I think it's unfair of the site to force us to jump through hoops in order to duck and dodge the new ads they've been throwing at us. It wasn't a personal attack on you. It was more of me being fed-up that players are having to change their browsers (who normally wouldn't) because the site is making them take evasive tactics. My comment about "idle banter" was that changing browsers isn't the "solution" to the problem...while it works short term, it is a step that shouldn't be forced on the players, especially when most of the players on the site aren't here, and many are children who don't have the computer savvy to do so, (or be able to acquire their parent's permission to do something as large as downloading and installing new programs to the family pc).

When I saw people fighting about browsers, I just wanted to bring the focus back to the real matter at hand, the fact that we shouldn't HAVE to do it to play Neo...just like we didn't have to do it as little as a year ago. It isn't our responsibility to avoid trashy ads that shouldn't be on the site in the first place.

Sorry if you got upset over my comment, that wasn't my intention at all.

I'm all for this. Let me know how I can help.

Even if it's alerting my media, once there's enough accurate information available.

Thanks Alex. I've been scanning the site on my gallery account trying to get a decent screenshot or two....my problem is however since I live in Sweden, most of the sponsor areas will not show for me (there is no McDonald's on the map for me, and even when I change my country to US it doesn't go through because they rely on IP origin, and not where I *say* I'm from...LOL)

But I'm sure we can get an accurate picture or two, showing trashy ads in conjunction with sponsor imagery. And as long as it's us talking to the media, I'm sure we can give enough balanced and fair information, without resorting to the "orphanage" tactics of Today Tonight's expose.

As a parent myself, I'm glad I'm the one playing Neo and not my son...I'll tell you that. I have enough troubles in the house keeping spyware off the PC....

[Alex]

Well, I can hunt for ads and screenshot them. Where exactly is the best place to screenshot, if they're being sent to the sponsors? (And which ads should I focus on, top or bottom?)

[valerielundberg]

Well, I can hunt for ads and screenshot them. Where exactly is the best place to screenshot, if they're being sent to the sponsors? (And which ads should I focus on, top or bottom?)

Top or bottom doesn't matter much, just as long as the ad would be considered offensive to the sponsor, and try to have the sponsor's imagery (for example, the disney theatre) in the same screen image as the offending ad that is screenshot.

[Alex]

*begins to go hunting* Ew, ads.

Is there a list of all the current sponsors?

[Johnnydontgo]

*begins to go hunting* Ew, ads.

Is there a list of all the current sponsors?

Try this on for size... http://info.neopets.com/presskit/press09.html

If you want a look at the whole press kit, start HERE.

Last edited by Johnnydontgo on Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:03 am, edited 1 time in total.

[valerielundberg]

*begins to go hunting* Ew, ads.

Is there a list of all the current sponsors?

I was just wondering the same thing...

LOL, refreshing these ads for me is like trying to find the snowbeast. For the bottom one all I ever get is the classmates ad, the looney tunes cursor ad, some calloway golf ad, and a ringtone signals ad.

I also noticed there is no ad at the bottom of this page for example though....

http://www.neopets.com/sponsors/disneytheatre.phtml

And I can't seem to get a non-neopets top ad at all showing on it...

Makes me wonder if they tried to be sly and figuring any sponsors who check their advertising wouldn't know there were OTHER paid ads, and counted on the sponsors not surfing the rest of the site, but only checking out their own section time to time... Hmm....


EDIT: Thanks Johnny.

Hahaha...I see they only list their "decent" sponsors there...no stinky looney-tunes spyware cursors on the list at all.

Last edited by valerielundberg on Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:04 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Alex]

I also noticed there was no bottom ad there. I can get some non-Neo ones there, but all I've seen is the Handbags (once), iPods (once), and Classmates (about 30 times >.>)

EDIT: Hmm. Your theory might have some truth to it.. what about the sponsor games? I doubt they'll have bothered about being careful with those.

[valerielundberg]

EDIT: Hmm. Your theory might have some truth to it.. what about the sponsor games? I doubt they'll have bothered about being careful with those.

Good point, definately worth a shot....*goes to dig up my games list*

[Johnnydontgo]

On top of that, they have "Neopets images" listed in the press kit that have no relevance to Neopets... check this out..

And...which faerie is this?

Wow, I wish they drew ALL the pets this well....

[o_0]

On top of that, they have "Neopets images" listed in the press kit that have no relevance to Neopets... check this out..

And...which faerie is this?

Wow, I wish they drew ALL the pets this well....

That's one of the Darkest Faerie plot images.

[Johnnydontgo]

Like... from the video game?

[o_0]

Yeah, but with the Talador plot, too.

[Johnnydontgo]

Ah, so it's all stuff that hasn't been released in Neopia yet. I see.. well alright then **puts down flaming hot poker**... I still think the images they've got in the press kit are much better quality then what you see on your pet lookups.