I read somewhere about a web advertising service that would allow you
to specify where you would like for your pop-up or under ads to show
up.  This allowed you to specify the exact websites that you want your
ad to appear on when someone visits that website.

I need to know what services like this are out on the web so I can
advertise with them.

---

Request for Question Clarification by scriptor-ga on 03 Jul 2004 06:09 PDT

Dear patrickp463,

Such services do indeed exist. However, any company would be well
advised to think twice before using them. Please let me explain:

Of course, Company X does not want ads of their competitor Company Y
to be displayed when visitors come to their site. So they would never
allow a web advertising agency to put pop-ups or pop-unders there.
But the ad agencies have found a way to do so without the site owners'
permission: They infiltrate, on various ways, internet users'
computers with so-called spyware that secretly tracks surfing behavior
and sends reports back to the agency.
Now, when the spyware notices that the user visits Company X's
webseite, it generates for example a pop-up ad for the competitor
Company Y who pay for doing exactly that. All this happens without the
site owner's approval and knowledge.

Such advertising services have developed an extremely bad reputation
because they are harassing web users with intrusive ads while
hampering web surfing and they invade users' computers and privacy.
There has been serious legal action against both such agencies and
their customers.

Are you sure you want to advertise your company by using a such service?

Regards,
Scriptor

Scriptor is correct in his description of how such services work. 
Claria, located in Redwood City, California, is the largest company in
this industry, with sales of $90 million and profits of $35 million in
2003.  Their most well-known adware product is called Gator.  Claria's
largest competitor is WhenU.com of New York.  Another adware company
is 180solutions, located in Bellevue, Washington.  "As it now stands,
Claria's Gator program is on 43 million machines, WhenU is on 25
million PCs, and 180solutions reaches 30 million, according to the
companies."  (Elgin reference)

This type of advertising campaign is very popular because of its
effectiveness.  "According to advertising agencies, for every 97
people who zap such an ad, three click on it.  That's a skyhigh hit
rate for the $7.2 billion Internet ad industry."  (Elgin reference)

Obviously, companies who are experiencing pop-ups from competitors on
their web sites are unhappy.  Hertz, Wells Fargo, and L.L. Bean are
suing adware vendors, as well as the advertisers in some cases.  The
Washington Post has also sued Claria.  U-Haul has sued WhenU, although
the judge ruled against U-Haul.  In addition, a new law in Utah has
outlawed spyware and most types of adware, and Congress is considering
anti-spyware legislation as well.

Despite the public backlash against adware, many well-known companies
advertise using this method because of its effectiveness.  Sprint,
Motorola, ING Direct Securities, Zacks Internet Group, Travelocity,
British Airways, J.P. Morgan Chase, Verizon, Eddie Bauer, and eBay all
advertise using adware products from Claria, WhenU, and/or
180solutions.

Sources: "Guess What-You Asked For Those Pop-Up Ads" by Ben Elgin,
BusinessWeek (June 28, 2004) pages 94-96
http://www.businessweek.com/@@0PsLgWYQuHNhDg0A/premium/content/04_26/b3889095_mz063.htm?se=1

(Graphic associated with story)
http://www.businessweek.com/@@0PsLgWYQuHNhDg0A/premium/content/04_26/b3889097_mz063.htm?se=1

"Claria: The Napster of Pop-Up Advertising?"  By Timothy J. Mullaney,
BusinessWeek (June 28, 2004) page 96
http://www.businessweek.com/@@0PsLgWYQuHNhDg0A/premium/content/04_26/b3889102_mz063.htm?se=1

Sincerely,

Wonko

Wonko-ga came back with the exact information I requested, without
questioning whether I really wanted it!  Wonderful service, Wonko! 
Thanks!