Why have you put a tacky ad in my article? A nice ad is one thing, but tacky?

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  artphotowall · Member · Sep 21, 2011 at 6:43 pm

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  Why, WordPress, have you added this tacky, childish-looking ad in my post?

  I know the terms of service say you can insert ads, and I have no quibble with that – it’s the name of the game – but why this tacky ad?

  Why not something with a little bit of verve and panache?

  How about something related to photography?

  I want you to know how much I dislike this ad. Especially after I made my blog look so nice. I have the CSS upgrade. I like my blog.

  But ‘Zuma by Zylom’ ?!

  Take a look at the ad and you will see what I mean.

  Tacky Ad
  Blog url: http://photographworks.wordpress.com/

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  andrewspittle · Staff · Sep 21, 2011 at 6:51 pm

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  Thanks for the feedback about that ad. We work hard to keep things discreet and relevant so feedback helps.

  You can also hide all ads on your site with a No Ads upgrade.

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  artphotowall · Member · Sep 21, 2011 at 7:36 pm

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  Thanks Andrew,

  I know I can hide the ads with the upgrade. I have no problem with ads appearing – it’s the name of the game with a free site.

  I also appreciate that you or others at Automattic may not agree with my judgement of how the ad looks, and I won’t ask you to put your head in the lion’s mouth and answer me with your opinion – after all, you have advertisers to satisfy.

  However, I would like to think that my feedback is considered relevant.

  Do you consider my feedback ‘relevant feedback’ ?

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  andrewspittle · Staff · Sep 21, 2011 at 7:42 pm

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  Do you consider my feedback ‘relevant feedback’?

  Absolutely, thanks for offering it.

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  artphotowall · Member · Sep 22, 2011 at 3:55 pm

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  Hi Andrew,

  I have been discussing my reaction to the Zumo ad with a friend, and it has helped to clarify my thoughts, which are these:

  WP designs lovely themes and encourages designers to make yet more lovely themes.

  So given all the slick, delightful advertisements there are in the world – I am genuinely puzzled by why WP would accept an ad as gaudy and tacky as Zumo and the coloured dancing balls?

  It goes against what WP stands for.

  I can’t help but wonder whether there is a clause in the contracts you have with advertisers that allows you to police ads that are so gaudy as to spoil the very themes you have worked so hard to make?