Dive summary:
- With Twitter's ad platform opened up to a broader audience of SMBs, the difficult task of quality control is underway.
- Case in point - An Ad Age reporter discovered a "Promoted Account" for Vibease, a vibrator that can be remotely controlled by a smartphone. The product markets itself as a way for long distance couples to remain intimate.
- Although adult-themed products aren't normally allowed on the major social networks, the line can be blurry. In this case, Vibease describes itself as a "personal massager", which raised no red flags initially.
- A Twitter product manager replied to the Ad Age reporter, "Thanks for pointing this out. Taking a look now."
From the article:
Twitter inaugurated its self-serve ad platform in February and ushered in a new revenue stream from small- and medium-size businesses in addition to something apparently unwanted: vibrator ads.
An Ad Age reporter last night inadvertently outed an advertiser that was in violation of Twitter's promoted products policy when he tweeted about seeing a promoted account (an ad where an advertiser's handle is displayed alongside organic recommendation for who to follow) for Vibease, a vibrator that can...
