Ad Thumbnails
Advertisers Funding 180solutions - Ben Edelman
The thumbnails below show ads I received from 180solutions during testing of January 27-29, 2006
These thumbnails include only those advertisers mentioned in CDT's report (PDF) on advertisers funding 180solutions -- advertisers that failed to respond to CDT's inquiries regarding spyware policies, or that provided a deficient response.
[ Altrec | Club Med Americas | eHarmony | GreetingCards.com | LetsTalk.com | Netflix | NetZero | PeoplePC | PerfectMatch | ProFlowers | True.com | uBid | Waterfront Media ]
Ad URL (direct, no leading redirects):
http://www.altrec.com/180/tnf.htm?tnf1025
The presence of "180" in the Altrec ad URL reveals Altrec's specific knowledge that the traffic at issue is coming from 180solutions.
Traffic routed via ValueClick's MediaPlex
Ad redirect steps:
http://altfarm.mediaplex.com/ad/tr/6499-34212-11979-0?mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]&kw=cruise&mpro=http://www.clubmed.us/
http://www.clubmed.us
Ad URL (direct, no leading redirects):
http://www.eharmony.com/core/eharmony?cmd=registration-profile-opt&ref=TR2401
Ad URL (direct, no leading redirects):
http://www.greetingcards.com/?SRC=180SOL&KW=.hallmark.com
Note the "SRC=" parameter, specifically indicating GreeetingCards.com' knowledge that traffic is coming from 180solutions. Note also the KW= parameter, specifically indicating greeetingcards' knowledge that traffic is arriving based on targeting of competitor hallmark.com.
Despite GreetingCards.com's knowing use of 180solutions-delivered popups , http://www.greetingcards.com/ and http://www.greetingcards.com/info/about.html promise no popup windows.
Ad URL (direct, no leading redirects):
http://www.letstalk.com/inlink.htm?to=42046
On http://www.letstalk.com/, Lets Talk claims to be a reseller for Cingular, Nextel, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, and other trusted brands. Lets Talk also claims certification or endorsement by Bizrate, BBB Online, c|net, and TRUSTe. These many respected affiliations make Lets Talk's use of 180solutions advertising particularly notable.
Traffic routed via Specificclick and aQuantive's Atlas DMT
Ad redirect steps:
http://adopt.specificclick.net/adopt.sm?l=1278539258&sz=728x90&r=&rnd=59723899
http://adopt.specificclick.net/lnk.sm?aplcd=4478;509;642;4010;97760.f.9.fh.nz.493@@xzyov@@xznyirwtv@@-4_9;1138508792159;href=http://clk.atdmt.com/NFX/go/spcfknfx0050000189nfx/direct;wi.728;hi.90/01/
http://clk.atdmt.com/NFX/go/spcfknfx0050000189nfx/direct;wi.728;hi.90/01/
http://www.netflix.com/Default?mqso=80003155
Traffic routed via Emarketmakers
Ad redirects steps:
http://clicks.emarketmakers.com/redir.aspx?id=525988
http://www.emarketmakers.com/COREG/uo_netzero2.asp?refcd=525988
http://my.netzero.net/s/signup?r=discount-nomm&refcd=VEND0405NWP1-525988
Tracking via aQuantive's Atlas DMT
This ad reflects 180 loading a URL from its own server:
http://ads.180solutions.com/affiliates/peoplepc/9162005/peoplepc1.html
That web page includes two IFRAMEs one loading a Atlas DMT tracking URL (seemingly to credit 180 for sending the traffic) and one loading the underlying People PC site (to show users relevant content).
<iframe height="2" src="http://view.atdmt.com/PPC/view/www18tfb0020000001ppc/direct/01/" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
<iframe width="100%" height="100%" src="http://www.peoplepc.com/go/fsot245" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
It is not immediately apparent why 180 chose this implementation, but the net effect is consistent with other examples that 180 shows ads for, and gets paid by, the specified advertiser.
Ad URL (direct, no leading redirects):
http://www.perfectmatch.com/trk.asp?CID=6820
Ad URL (direct, no leading redirects):
http://www.proflowers.com/freevase/index.cfm?prodset=OPCwol&REF=FGVPRTLS180Solutions.ftd.com
Note the REF= parameter, specifically indicating proflowers' knowledge that traffic is coming from 180solutions. The final section of the REF parameter reveals ProFlowerse' knowledge that the traffic targets competitor ftd.com.
Traffic routed via aQuantive's Atlas DMT
Ad redirects steps:
http://clk.atdmt.com/TRU/go/www18tru001matchXcom0002132tru/direct/01/?TBPad_id=MD1004&rnd=6922565
https://www.True.com/signup.htm?plc=1A73421E-08D4-42AC-8646-C5707283E059&tbadid=1200&exitpop=no&TBPad_id=MD1004&rnd=6922565
Ad URL (direct, no leading redirects):
http://www.ubid.com/cat/get_cat_page.asp?CatID=3092&s=uwb93988
Traffic routed via aQuantive's Atlas DMT
Ad redirect steps:
http://clk.atdmt.com/AGM/go/sbd2380000001agm/direct/01/
http://secure.agoramedia.com/trackpromo_direct.asp?rd=sbd2/index_sbd.asp&pi=16&ptth=1&promo=7BA99B16-34DE-438F-8F0D-D9B4A75063DB