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 ]

 

Altrec

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.

 

ClubMed

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

 

eHarmony

Ad URL (direct, no leading redirects):

http://www.eharmony.com/core/eharmony?cmd=registration-profile-opt&ref=TR2401

 

GreetingCards.com

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.”

 

Letstalk

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.

 

Netflix

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

 

Netzero

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

 

People PC

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.

 

PerfectMatch

Ad URL (direct, no leading redirects):

http://www.perfectmatch.com/trk.asp?CID=6820

 

ProFlowers

Ad URL (direct, no leading redirects):

http://www.proflowers.com/freevase/index.cfm?prodset=OPCwol&amp;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.

 

True.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

 

Ubid

Ad URL (direct, no leading redirects):

http://www.ubid.com/cat/get_cat_page.asp?CatID=3092&amp;s=uwb93988

 

Waterfront Media / Agoramedia

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