Advertising “really turns our stomachs”.
July 12, 2012 6:57 AM Subscribe
To elaborate on Edison Carter's correct answer: selling out is the entire purpose of putting ads on your site.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 7:42 AM on July 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 7:42 AM on July 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
I thought they had made enough to survive on for years from selling that "e".
posted by chavenet at 7:50 AM on July 12, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by chavenet at 7:50 AM on July 12, 2012 [5 favorites]
It annoys me that they say something about not showing follower counts because it's crass. I miss Tumblarity so hard. Guess it's not coming back.
posted by fiercecupcake at 8:09 AM on July 12, 2012
posted by fiercecupcake at 8:09 AM on July 12, 2012
I swear to God I am not trolling here. Can someone explain to me using very small words why anyone would invest in a company that has incredible overheads and basically no revenue stream? Is that not more of a donation than an investment?
posted by DarlingBri at 8:38 AM on July 12, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 8:38 AM on July 12, 2012 [3 favorites]
DarlingBri: "I swear to God I am not trolling here. Can someone explain to me using very small words why anyone would invest in a company that has incredible overheads and basically no revenue stream? Is that not more of a donation than an investment?"
That was the model with Facebook, too, but they've managed to leverage (sorry) their massive userbase into advertising revenue. We've seen how they offer super targeted tools for advertising that marketers would pay a lot of money for, and tools for integrating third-party revenue streams (e.g. Farmville) and taking a cut of that , and VCs saw this as an opportunity.
I can't speak specifically for Tumblr because I personally just use it as a repository of fandom gifs, but a bazillion fans geeking out over their fandom must present a pretty attractive target for the content creators, which represents a potential revenue base.
posted by Phire at 8:55 AM on July 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
That was the model with Facebook, too, but they've managed to leverage (sorry) their massive userbase into advertising revenue. We've seen how they offer super targeted tools for advertising that marketers would pay a lot of money for, and tools for integrating third-party revenue streams (e.g. Farmville) and taking a cut of that , and VCs saw this as an opportunity.
I can't speak specifically for Tumblr because I personally just use it as a repository of fandom gifs, but a bazillion fans geeking out over their fandom must present a pretty attractive target for the content creators, which represents a potential revenue base.
posted by Phire at 8:55 AM on July 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
I've seen a couple of rumblings about companies (and Tumblr itself) hiring popular Tumblr-ers to cover their events. Wouldn't be surprised if companies aimed at youth might enter into a relationship with Tumblr and popular bloggers there to put stuff out to their existing followers.
posted by msbrauer at 9:15 AM on July 12, 2012
posted by msbrauer at 9:15 AM on July 12, 2012
fuckyeahmiraclewhipisthebestspreadandanexcellentvalueforyourmoney.tumblr.com
posted by mightygodking at 9:43 AM on July 12, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by mightygodking at 9:43 AM on July 12, 2012 [3 favorites]
In his standard uniform of Jack Purcell sneakers .....
I stopped reading there. Partly because brand name dropping turns me off, whether it's done by Bret Easton Ellis or Sophie Kinsella. (Also, if I don't recognize the brand, what am I going to do? Look it up and participate in the advertising? It take $50 from a hobo to get me to do that.) And partly because: you're injecting branding into the sneaks someone is wearing?
posted by benito.strauss at 9:50 AM on July 12, 2012 [7 favorites]
I stopped reading there. Partly because brand name dropping turns me off, whether it's done by Bret Easton Ellis or Sophie Kinsella. (Also, if I don't recognize the brand, what am I going to do? Look it up and participate in the advertising? It take $50 from a hobo to get me to do that.) And partly because: you're injecting branding into the sneaks someone is wearing?
posted by benito.strauss at 9:50 AM on July 12, 2012 [7 favorites]
Bret Easton Ellis and Sophie Kinsella have some good brands.
posted by box at 10:09 AM on July 12, 2012
posted by box at 10:09 AM on July 12, 2012
It annoys me that they say something about not showing follower counts because it's crass.
More accurately, "The culture of public friend-and-follow reciprocity that theoretically expands a social networking service can, in his view, 'really poison a whole community.'"
I'm not sure I agree, but it's a more reasonable argument than mere crassness.
posted by mrgrimm at 10:20 AM on July 12, 2012
More accurately, "The culture of public friend-and-follow reciprocity that theoretically expands a social networking service can, in his view, 'really poison a whole community.'"
I'm not sure I agree, but it's a more reasonable argument than mere crassness.
posted by mrgrimm at 10:20 AM on July 12, 2012
Asked a question about competitors, he answered: “The last thing we want to do is compete with someone. That’s for bankers.”
Pinterest says thanks.
posted by mrgrimm at 10:21 AM on July 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
Pinterest says thanks.
posted by mrgrimm at 10:21 AM on July 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
Asked a question about competitors, he answered: “The last thing we want to do is compete with someone. That’s for wankers bankers.”
Fixed.
posted by Fizz at 11:56 AM on July 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
Fixed.
posted by Fizz at 11:56 AM on July 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
Wow that was a painfully written article. But even ignoring the cutesy NYT writing style, how does he plan on paying those 100 employees without revenue? I mean it's all great to say, I'm not going to sell out, but people gotta eat and pay rent and you can't live on venture capital forever.
posted by octothorpe at 3:53 PM on July 12, 2012
posted by octothorpe at 3:53 PM on July 12, 2012
Edison, long time, pal...
CanTumblr MetaFilter embrace ads without selling out?
seems to be working so far. Though I'm pretty sure google's a goner since they went public.
posted by theora55 at 5:24 PM on July 12, 2012
Can
seems to be working so far. Though I'm pretty sure google's a goner since they went public.
posted by theora55 at 5:24 PM on July 12, 2012
Wait.... there are ads on MetaFilter?
(Obligatory.... I know there are. I've seen the MeTa's complaining about some)
posted by Mezentian at 8:44 PM on July 12, 2012
(Obligatory.... I know there are. I've seen the MeTa's complaining about some)
posted by Mezentian at 8:44 PM on July 12, 2012
And partly because: you're injecting branding into the sneaks someone is wearing?
Are you familiar with Nike? Converse? Adidas? Okay then.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:33 AM on July 13, 2012
Are you familiar with Nike? Converse? Adidas? Okay then.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:33 AM on July 13, 2012
Like a service? Make them charge you or show you ads. If they won't do it, clone them and do it yourself.
posted by mrgrimm at 8:29 AM on July 16, 2012
posted by mrgrimm at 8:29 AM on July 16, 2012
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posted by Edison Carter at 7:34 AM on July 12, 2012 [13 favorites]