Third Party Ad Server Report 9/11/06

The third party ad server, or 3PAS, is a technology that advertisers can use to track customer behavior in response to their advertising across different websites. Instead of working directly with a website where the agency would have to check each website to see how their ad is doing, the agency placing the ads, can see up to the minute tracking information for a user in terms of what adds particular demographics go to, what their buying patterns are, what’s being sold; what is important to a particular demographic in a collective summery of how each ad is doing over various websites.

This service, for customers such as auto insurance companies, credit card companies and travel agencies, consolidates all the statistical data of those internet users who visit the sites on which they have bought media and are displaying ads. A unique aspect of this technology is that 3PAS providers are able to actively place a particular ad on a particular computer’s browser based on the cookies of that computer.

The third party ad servers are a vehicle to generate customers, and to track what is working to attract a certain demographic or what is not working, and then change what that particular demographic sees on a particular website, by going into a URL and changing the ad tag. This change is made immediately to the ad that is running.

This technology is being used by agencies that rep different marketers or advertisers like Telecom, Financial Services, Orbitz and Geico. They are generally companies that that have a high turnover of customers. Within a given month, the impressions delivered per client across all of the media buys can range from a few million to billions even trillions depending on the client. This technology has been around for over 10 years, and is widely used. The expectation is that there will continue to be a steady growth throughout the rest of the decade.

Back in the early 1990’s, simple online advertising would have been simple text links or ads of sort, hand coded directly onto a Web sites page. If an ad were to change on the site, someone would have to reprogram the html code for the site. As more Web sites were published, different code was written to help rotate ads across the sites, but there were still complications. Advertisers also had to go to each Web site they posted an ad on to check on responses and had different reports from each of the web sites they used. The third party ad server technology was conceived with the idea of consolidating the tracking and delivery of customer data

One of the special features of the 3PAS is the ability for these servers to read the cookies of computers that check out a website, and provide a specific ad for each computer based on the cookies (if the user has opted out of their cookies, a generic ad is shown). Computer users always have the ability to opt out of saving cookies. Although these third party ad servers actively seek out cookies on peoples’ computers, they work within the boundaries of established laws.

Stain Glass Reflections

Looking at the cold colors in the glass, it's hard to believe that in the eyes and hands of an artist, this glass is put together in such a way that inspires warmth, serenity and peace.


The harsh boldness of the yellow, black and blue reminds me of cool pools of water. This picture of glass is saturated and striking, but it fails to resonate any deeper feelings. It seems that this glass serves more a purpose of functionality than art.


In this picture, there is the stirrings of warmth in the color. The reflection of stained glass on the pillars, alludes to some form of beautiful colors surrounding them. Although there is not a softness to the colors, there is something appealing about looking at the colors reflected on the structures.


This picture is interesting in the movement that you feel when looking at it. The vivid colors and the feeling of movement is exciting. In all of the pictures of stained glass I looked at, this one captures something unique. It is not static, but moves. It provides a different sensation from most of the other stained glass pictures, which tend to capture the calm and peaceful qualities of the colors and designs. This contrast is what drew me to the this photo.


Here the reflection of the stained glass on the floor brings a feeling a serenity and peacefulness. It makes me want to look to the source of the colors that lay softly on the ground. It draws me into its gentle colors and stillness.


Where better than a church pew to sit and contemplate the beauty of stained glass. In this picture, there is a faint reflection of color and light coming from a nearby but unseen window. I am brought back to a time when I was younger, and spent many Sundays examining and thinking about biblical stories being told through the art of the glass in the church windows. For me, these windows let me examine and explore these stories through the beauty of the glass.


This picture shows the magnitude of the effect that stained glass windows bring to a church. There is a "holy" quality to the structure where they reside. The effects of such soft and beautiful colors in the windows reflected on the walls, are profound. The cool grey and cold stone of the church are bathed with the reflection of the distilled sunlight through the window.


Surely the artist who created the beautiful windows in this church was struck with the awesome effect of the light coming through the panes. This pictures is striking to me because it is a close up of the image. It brings an intimacy to the focal point of the window, and to the inspiration of the art.


I am struck by the words on the window: "I am the way". Jesus also said "I am the light". The words connect the image to the light coming in through the window, and ultimately to their meaning. The light is what makes the windows come alive with color.

This final picture to me is just an incredible piece of stained glass art. It is the focal point of a church when one walks through the doors. It is a piece of art prepared specifically for a church; an offering of beauty.