Ads in Chat? Ugh.

[bluecuracao]

I'm in the advertising industry, and even I hate this idea.

http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_dis...ac07a9b09f9de8

NEW YORK Advertisers often clamor to become part of consumer conversations. Web messaging service Meebo is offering them that opportunity by injecting ad messages into online chat.

With the release of a new instant messaging product for Web sites, Meebo has rolled out a new ad format that places ad messages between user responses. The text message can be clicked to activate a pop-up window with a multimedia commercial. Once a user engages with the ad, his action is noted within the chat. The idea is to then spur conversation among users about the brand.

Unless the chatters have absolutely nothing else to talk about, I don't really see this happening. Not in a good way, anyway.