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Agency Based Discussion => iStockPhoto.com => Topic started by: Allsa on September 20, 2010, 08:45

Title: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: Allsa on September 20, 2010, 08:45
Thinkstock advertising is plastered all over The Huffington Post website, and the hypocrisy of this frustrates me to no end.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/)
The Huffington Post is a progressive, left-wing, anti-corporate news website, and yet they have Thinkstock, Getty's greedy substitute for StockExpert, plastered all over their site at regular intervals. To add insult to injury, they frequently use well labeled Thinkstock images as illustrations for their stories, providing yet another endorsement of the abomination known as Thinkstock.

I've been wanting to approach them about this, but I don't know how to go about it. Under 'contact us' they have an option where you can send in news tips, and I was thinking of sending them some info about how Getty shafted the istock contributors. But I'm not sure what links to send along them along with my 'news tip'; and I'm looking for suggestions - any links or ideas anyone?
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: travelstock on September 20, 2010, 09:49
Thinkstock advertising is plastered all over The Huffington Post website, and the hypocrisy of this frustrates me to no end.
[url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/[/url] ([url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/[/url])
The Huffington Post is a progressive, left-wing, anti-corporate news website, and yet they have Thinkstock, Getty's greedy substitute for StockExpert, plastered all over their site at regular intervals. To add insult to injury, they frequently use well labeled Thinkstock images as illustrations for their stories, providing yet another endorsement of the abomination known as Thinkstock.

I've been wanting to approach them about this, but I don't know how to go about it. Under 'contact us' they have an option where you can send in news tips, and I was thinking of sending them some info about how Getty shafted the istock contributors. But I'm not sure what links to send along them along with my 'news tip'; and I'm looking for suggestions - any links or ideas anyone?


Sorry I only see an add for the Mercedes-Benz E Class.
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: Allsa on September 20, 2010, 11:13
I just checked and it's still there. Take my word for it, they are a very big advertiser of Thinkstock, the ads are plastered all over the site on a regular basis. I want to contact them, but I'm not sure what approach I should take. I would like to provide them with some relevant links, so it won't appear that I'm just a lone disgruntled photographer trying to stir up trouble.
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: Lee Torrens on September 20, 2010, 11:34
The ads are most likely served to specific geographic regions.  If you can't see them Holgs, then they're not showing them in Thailand. I can't see them here in Argentina either.
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: nruboc on September 20, 2010, 11:49
The ads are most likely served to specific geographic regions.  If you can't see them Holgs, then they're not showing them in Thailand. I can't see them here in Argentina either.

Not only to specific geographic regions but also according to your web surfing habits
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: travelstock on September 20, 2010, 12:02
The ads are most likely served to specific geographic regions.  If you can't see them Holgs, then they're not showing them in Thailand. I can't see them here in Argentina either.

Well I'm relieved to know that they think I'm more likely to be interested in a M-B than a Thinkstock subscription.
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: Kngkyle on September 20, 2010, 12:14
Thinkstock advertising is plastered all over The Huffington Post website, and the hypocrisy of this frustrates me to no end.
[url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/[/url] ([url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/[/url])
The Huffington Post is a progressive, left-wing, anti-corporate news website, and yet they have Thinkstock, Getty's greedy substitute for StockExpert, plastered all over their site at regular intervals. To add insult to injury, they frequently use well labeled Thinkstock images as illustrations for their stories, providing yet another endorsement of the abomination known as Thinkstock.

I've been wanting to approach them about this, but I don't know how to go about it. Under 'contact us' they have an option where you can send in news tips, and I was thinking of sending them some info about how Getty shafted the istock contributors. But I'm not sure what links to send along them along with my 'news tip'; and I'm looking for suggestions - any links or ideas anyone?


I doubt the Huffingtonpost actually chooses each advertisement that shows on their website. They probably go through google adwords or one of the other advertising agencies that do all that stuff. Not really fair to bash them for doing something that almost all websites do.

Now if you want to be upset at iStock/Getty for advertising Thinkstock so much instead of iStock, well, I can agree with you there.
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: Dreamframer on September 20, 2010, 12:22
I also see only Mercedes Benz add.
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: ppdd on September 20, 2010, 12:28
I see thinkstock ads everywhere - it has more to do with the fact that I've visited the TS site - now I'm targeted by ad servers. It has much more to do with your browsing history and market segment. And the ad network.
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: RacePhoto on September 20, 2010, 13:14
The ads are most likely served to specific geographic regions.  If you can't see them Holgs, then they're not showing them in Thailand. I can't see them here in Argentina either.


Well I'm relieved to know that they think I'm more likely to be interested in a M-B than a Thinkstock subscription.


Funny links but no ads. I do run FF with a script blocker and pop-up blocker and some other security stuff/ Not an ad on the whol front page?

I did find this (off topic warning) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/19/funniest-photoshop-fails_n_731037.html#s142134 (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/19/funniest-photoshop-fails_n_731037.html#s142134)  PHOTOS: The Funniest Photoshop Fails Of All Time

Extra arms, hands and funny photoshop errors.  ;D

(also Randy Quaid arrested) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/19/randy-evi-quaid-arrested-_n_730680.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/19/randy-evi-quaid-arrested-_n_730680.html)

Sorry but not one ad for any stock site or anything. But that could be my browser settings. Lucky Me!
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: donding on September 20, 2010, 13:50
I also see only Mercedes Benz add.

Geez....I must not be as upper class as you guys....all I see is an ad for a Chevy Malibu.....lol :D
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: ap on September 20, 2010, 14:00
I also see only Mercedes Benz add.

Geez....I must not be as upper class as you guys....all I see is an ad for a Chevy Malibu.....lol :D

+1

i also see a shuttestock ad.  :)
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: lisafx on September 20, 2010, 15:37
I know what you mean.  It bugs me too when I see that.  Rachel Maddow is always referencing Istock.  She did it again last week.

I can't say I blame her - she finds Istock photos used in ads for politicians, portraying them as their real supporters and then finds the same images on Istock to debunk them.  

Maybe I should write her and give her a link to Shutterstock instead...?  
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: cardmaverick on September 20, 2010, 15:46
Targeted ads - I see stock photo ads all the time, wouldn't read too deep into it.
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: FD on September 20, 2010, 17:01
I didn't see any ad at all on this site. Sol Invictus and all lesser Gods on the Olympus be praised for my Ad- and Flash-blocker in FireFox.
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: Allsa on September 20, 2010, 18:24
Thinkstock advertising is plastered all over The Huffington Post website, and the hypocrisy of this frustrates me to no end.
[url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/[/url] ([url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/[/url])
The Huffington Post is a progressive, left-wing, anti-corporate news website, and yet they have Thinkstock, Getty's greedy substitute for StockExpert, plastered all over their site at regular intervals. To add insult to injury, they frequently use well labeled Thinkstock images as illustrations for their stories, providing yet another endorsement of the abomination known as Thinkstock.

I've been wanting to approach them about this, but I don't know how to go about it. Under 'contact us' they have an option where you can send in news tips, and I was thinking of sending them some info about how Getty shafted the istock contributors. But I'm not sure what links to send along them along with my 'news tip'; and I'm looking for suggestions - any links or ideas anyone?


I doubt the Huffingtonpost actually chooses each advertisement that shows on their website. They probably go through google adwords or one of the other advertising agencies that do all that stuff. Not really fair to bash them for doing something that almost all websites do.

Now if you want to be upset at iStock/Getty for advertising Thinkstock so much instead of iStock, well, I can agree with you there.


I have no desire to bash the Huffington Post, not a liberal leftie like me! It's very possible they don't know anything about how Getty has screwed over thousands of photographers and illustrators - my question is, what's the most effective way of making them aware of this fact? They are very anti-corporate, very pro-little guy. Maybe I'm naive, but I think if they knew the story behind Thinkstock, they just might pull the ads - which would leave Getty to pimp 'The Abomination Known as Thinkstock' on sites that have no social conscience. The question is - what's the most effective way to make them aware?
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: cathyslife on September 20, 2010, 18:30
I see thinkstock ads everywhere - it has more to do with the fact that I've visited the TS site - now I'm targeted by ad servers. It has much more to do with your browsing history and market segment. And the ad network.

Yeah and contributing to IS probably doesn't help matters either.
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: BaldricksTrousers on September 20, 2010, 18:35
The ads are most likely served to specific geographic regions.  If you can't see them Holgs, then they're not showing them in Thailand. I can't see them here in Argentina either.

Not only to specific geographic regions but also according to your web surfing habits

Is that why I only get asian massage parlours?
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: ap on September 20, 2010, 18:36


I have no desire to bash the Huffington Post, not a liberal leftie like me! It's very possible they don't know anything about how Getty has screwed over thousands of photographers and illustrators - my question is, what's the most effective way of making them aware of this fact? They are very anti-corporate, very pro-little guy. Maybe I'm naive, but I think if they knew the story behind Thinkstock, they just might pull the ads - which would leave Getty to pimp 'The Abomination Known as Thinkstock' on sites that have no social conscience. The question is - what's the most effective way to make them aware?

you can always include links back to this forum or the istock forum or even the stockfresh blog article to back up that there are masses of contributors unhappy about this.
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: FD on September 20, 2010, 18:38
Is that why I only get asian massage parlours?
That must be your surfing history.  ;)
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: michaeldb on September 20, 2010, 20:52
Is that why I only get asian massage parlours?
That must be your surfing history.  ;)
Wow this could explain why when I get on political sites I only see ads for Adobe software and Viagra.
Title: Re: Thinkstock and the Huffington Post
Post by: anonymous on September 21, 2010, 07:13
if you really don't like Getty and Thinkstock, start "clicking" on those ads...they'll get the bill  ;)