[Hokerer]

Seems to me the ads that are now showing up on this site could be a little misleading.  They say "Support the AHA" "Renew or Join Today" and then below that say that "only registered users can participate in the Forum".  Now, I know that "registered users" just means registered on the forum and not necessarily registered with the AHA but the ad sort of makes that implication.  Folks that don't know better might think they need to join the AHA to participate in this forum.

Maybe some sneaky marketing type did it on purpose in hopes of drumming up more AHA memberships but I'd like to think we (since we are all the AHA) are a little more ethical than that.

[beerocd]

Seems to me the ads that are now showing up on this site could be a little misleading.  They say "Support the AHA" "Renew or Join Today" and then below that say that "only registered users can participate in the Forum".  Now, I know that "registered users" just means registered on the forum and not necessarily registered with the AHA but the ad sort of makes that implication.  Folks that don't know better might think they need to join the AHA to participate in this forum.

Maybe some sneaky marketing type did it on purpose in hopes of drumming up more AHA memberships but I'd like to think we (since we are all the AHA) are a little more ethical than that.

I agree, and also find it interesting that they use an outside source for their ads. Seems a waste of money; but this is probably a short test before they start selling space to "sponsors". That'd be my guess.

[dean]

Hey, I wouldn't be against the use of sponsors so long as their ads aren't loaded with graphics.  Might find a sweet deal on a new gadget or a new beer.     And it would lower some of the costs, maybe even fund something else.

[denny]

Ya know, since I use Adblock, I hadn't even seen the ads!  I'll ask someone from the AHA to check this conversation and see what they have to say.

[deepsouth]

it would appear that if you are not a memeber of the AHA, you would not be able to participate in the forum.

intended or not, it's clever.

if i were just visiting this site, i'd think i'd need to "join" before i could participate, which i would do and then i would find out that i need to "register", which would leave me scratching my head wondering why joining AHA didn't join me to the forum.

maybe if one banner was at the top and one at the bottom.

[denny]

Knowing the AHA staff, I have a hard time thinking that anyone is trying to intentionally mislead people.  But the ads need to be clarified to make sure there is no mistake about forum participation.

[deepsouth]

Knowing the AHA staff, I have a hard time thinking that anyone is trying to intentionally mislead people.  But the ads need to be clarified to make sure there is no mistake about forum participation.

i don't know them, but brewer's are the group of people i'd give the most rope to.  i would bet it's unintentional as well.

[Gary Glass]

Ha!  Yes, definitely unintentional!  The plan going forward is to have one AHA/Forum ad and one paid ad in the header.  When posted yesterday, these were the first two AHA ads that were created and since we don't yet have a paid ad to put up there we just posted them both.

Cheers!
Gary Glass
AHA Director

[Hokerer]

Ha!  Yes, definitely unintentional!

Thanks for the response, I figured as much.

Wow, ain't it grand being part of an organization where you can get a meaningful response from the big man himself in such a timely fashion?

[dean]

Ahhhhh!  So Gary is the big man... Denny I'll cut you some slack.    

I still think ads would or could be good so long as the graphics aren't so big that it takes more than 15 to 30 seconds for "dialup" to load the forum page.

[denny]

Ahhhhh!  So Gary is the big man... Denny I'll cut you some slack.    

It's about time, buddy!