Contextual online advertising has a lot of potential, but looks stupid when very basic errors are made.

Take the following banner ad I found on a site the other day:

It reads: “There is 1 update available for your computer: Your Mac may need a tune up. Click ‘Start’ to recommend improvements”

After clicking the ad, and enduring some tacky progress bar animation that simply puts another barrier between the advertiser and a potential customer, I’m greeted with a screen that again confirms to me that I’m using a Mac with Netscape Navigator version 5. (Well, one out of two’s not bad)

I’m then offered: “Tune Up and Accelerate Your PC Speed in 2 Minutes”

Hang on, I thought you said I had a Mac?

Yes, apparently, PC Booster will give ‘more speed and stability out of your Windows computer’.

Great.

This is targeting gone wrong. If I’ve got a Mac, then I don’t need no stinkin’ PC optimisation software, do I?

C’mon inKline, that’s a real waste of your advertising dollar.