I’ve written about this before but it continues to amaze me so I’ll continue to write about it now and again.   Last year, Yahoo! spent $100 million buying advertisements on competing media companies trying to grow their audience of consumers.  It didn’t work.  Home page and search traffic did not change. 

So now they are at it again.  Yahoo! just announced a $75+ million ad blitz on TV, the web, and outdoor billboards.    So websites that you are loyal to will be suggesting that you leave them to develop loyalty for a competing web site.    I still have trouble wrapping my brain around that.  TV networks that are fighting desperately to keep you in front of the TV will be encouraging you to head to your computer to check out Yahoo!.  “Your favite stuff all in one place”.  Not here on our network or on our network’s website….no, it’s over at Yahoo.

And here’s another thought.  Yahoo has to spend $175 million in advertising to try to collect consumers into big enough audiences to attract hopefully more than $175 million in advertising revenue for Yahoo.   And they spend it with companies who spend similarly trying to grow their own audience of consumers.     Advertising dollars flowing every which way to try to temporarily gain access to you so that more ad dollars can flow.    Everyone’s getting paid except for consumers…the folks who actually control the supply of time and attention.   Should we be surprised when it doesn’t work?

Gomper thinks advertisers who want your attention will have a better chance if the money flows directly to you.

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