Hunting for advertisers on Gawker

During our messaging of Gawker's advertisers, we have had a few advertisers tell us that they are not actually advertising on Gawker.  We were messaging them because Gawker was lying on their partners page when they claimed they had all these partners that they did not actually have (I'm not a lawyer, but is that investor fraud?).

This means that we should try to dig out the advertisers who are visibly advertising on Gawker and target them.  This morning I turned off my ad blockers and I surfed Gawker, taking notes and screen capping the ads I found to make a list of advertisers who need to be targeted right now.

I used Chrome and Internet Explorer with and without my VPN and changing nodes on my VPN from time to time (I use privateinternetaccess.com).  I got the most ads with IE and no VPN.  Protip:  Don't bother surfing with a VPN exit node in a country like Romania unless you speak Romanian.

This entire process took me about 2.5 hours.

The biggest surprise for me was that most of the people we are messaging for this boycott are not actually advertising on Gawker, as far as I can tell.  I didn't see some of these advertisers on any of our lists of companies to contact to boycott Gawker.

Here are all the advertisers that I could personally find.

LL Bean (by far their biggest advertiser)
Discover
Old Spice
Ebay
Keurig
CNBC (The Profit)
Dyson
iRobot
Comcast
PayPal
Save the Children (really? we need to do something about that)
Swash
SEGA (Alien Isolation)
IBM

Edit:  I found out that Gawker Studios made an ad for IBM.  The reddit thread about it is here:
http://www.reddit.com/r/KotakuInAction/comments/2k0pgv/gawker_studio_does_animated_ad_for_ibm_on_gawker/

I found their contact information and put it below.

For quick reference, here is a screen cap of Sam Biddle's tweets.
http://i.imgur.com/6ssdX8x.jpg

Here they are in an archive, in case anybody thinks that screen cap is shopped.
https://archive.today/AxmL5

Ask these advertisers to join companies like Adobe and oppose bullying during bullying awareness month.  Here are Adobe's tweets:
https://twitter.com/Adobe/status/524625011919708160
https://twitter.com/Adobe/status/524727259844718592

Gawker's biggest advertiser is LL Bean.  We should be hitting them as much as possible.

Gawker's easiest target is probably Save the Children.  I highly doubt they want to endorse bullying.  They just need to be made aware that they do endorse bullying.  Screen cap of their ad: http://i.imgur.com/KEg9uvX.png

Here is a link to 27 screen caps of Gawker articles with ads in them:
http://imgur.com/a/ywB50#0

Edit:  Here is a link to a screen cap of IBM's ad on Gawker, on an article showing an ad Gawker made for IBM:
http://imgur.com/URRCkoY

Here is a list of the advertisers I identified.

LL Bean		http://www.llbean.com/
		PR contact: Laurie Brooks (Social Media Public Relations Program Manager)
		lbrooks@llbean.com
		contact source: http://i.imgur.com/m5m3iJo.png

Discover	https://www.discovercard.com/
		PR dept:  mediarelations@discover.com or 1-224-405-1747
		contact source: https://www.discover.com/company/newsroom/?ICMPGN=FTR_ABTUS_NEWS

Old Spice	http://www.oldspice.com/
		PR contact: thurston.d@pg.com
		or use this feedback form http://www.pg.com/en_UK/contact-us.shtml
		contact source:  http://www.reddit.com/r/KotakuInAction/comments/2ji8ji/the_full_list_of_gawkers_advertisers_as_well_as/

eBay		http://www.ebay.com/
		PR contact: press@ebay.com
		If you email them also mention that their PayPal Braintree ads are on Gawker
		contact source:  http://www.ebayinc.com/content/media-contacts

Keurig		http://www.keurig.com/
		PR contact: Lynda McKinney (Director of Public Relations)
		lynda.mckinney@keurig.com
		contact source:  http://i.imgur.com/m5m3iJo.png

CNBC (The Profit)	http://www.cnbc.com/
		Contact: Brian Steel (Senior VP of Public Relations)
		brian.steel@nbcuni.com
		contact source:  http://i.imgur.com/m5m3iJo.png

Dyson		http://www.dyson.com/
		PR contact: Lennard Hoornik (Chief Commercial Officer)
		lennard.hoornik@dyson.com
		contact source: http://i.imgur.com/m5m3iJo.png

iRobot		http://www.irobot.com/
		PR contact: publicrelations@irobot.com
		contact source: http://media.irobot.com/

Comcast		http://www.comcast.com/
		Tweet:  https://twitter.com/comcast
		email Jenniver Khoury at jennifer_khoury@comcast.com
		contact source:  http://corporate.comcast.com/news-information/press-industry-analyst-contacts


PayPal		https://www.paypal.com/home
		See eBay, since eBay owns them.

Save the Children	http://www.savethechildren.org/
		Screen Cap: http://i.imgur.com/KEg9uvX.png
		tweet the ceo https://twitter.com/carolynsave
		media contacts list from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6146421/k.292A/Contact_Us.htm
		eburke@savechildren.org
		pcarroll@savechildren.org
		wchristian@savechildren.org
		agrozdanic@savechildren.org
		jsoulliere@savechildren.org
		fuenuma@savechildren.org
		tweinberg@savechildren.org
		This should be an easy advertiser to talk to about bullying.  Just cc: everybody in this email list to be safe.

Swash		http://www.swash.com/
		Tweet:  https://twitter.com/swashofficial
		Use this contact form.  It's all I can find http://www.swash.com/contact-us


SEGA (Alien Isolation)	http://www.sega.com/
		tweet:  https://twitter.com/AlienIsolation
		Derrek Peel is their senior brand marketing manager.
		Phone:  +1.415.701.6000   +1.415.701.4147
		email:  derrek.peel@segaamerica.com
		contact source:  https://connect.data.com

IBM		http://www.ibm.com/
		Tweet: @IBM
		Contact:  Use the form here http://www.ibm.com/scripts/contact/contact/us/en
		Contact source:  http://www.reddit.com/r/KotakuInAction/comments/2ji8ji/the_full_list_of_gawkers_advertisers_as_well_as/
		Screen cap of the ad made by Gawker for IBM:  http://imgur.com/URRCkoY
		Article about the ad Gawker made for IBM:  https://archive.today/JhyDD

Here are my raw notes.  They are messy, but if you want more info on how this data was compiled you can find it here.  Every now and then I noted the time I was taking these notes.  The times are all EST

=====================================================================================

Oct 22, 4:15 ~ 4:20 AM
Gawker front page ads

01.  LL Bean
02.  LL Bean
03.  LL Bean
04.  LL Bean
05.  LL Bean
06.  LL Bean
07.  LL Bean
08.  LL Bean
09.  LL Bean
10.  LL Bean

Same result at 4:30

Lifehacker 4:30 ~ 4:37

01.  Keurig & Old Spice
02.  Keurig & Ebay
03.  Keurig & Old Spice
04.  Keurig & Old Spice
05.  Keurig & Old Spice
06.  Keurig & Ebay
07.  Keurig & Ebay
08.  Keurig & Old Spice
09.  Keurig & Old Spice
10.  Keurig & Ebay

GAwker Jimsonweed Article 4:40 ~ 4:47 AM (ad is at bottom)
http://gawker.com/gawker-nature-moment-toxic-psychoactive-jimsonweed-gro-1642298683

01.  Keurig
02.  Keurig
03.  None
04.  None
05.  None
06.  None
07.  None
08.  None
09.  None
10.  None

Now I can't find any ads on Gawker at all. The top article is Carefully Groomed Stubble is a Mark of Low Moral Character.

Changing my VPN exit node to Romania to see what happens...

4:50 AM No ads on front page

Article on NBC Cameraman surviving ebola shows a couple ads in languages I can't read. Monoqi and ClinLife... seems to be a renal cell thing?  I don't know what that means.  IDK if these are actual companies or what, I can't research it.  I should have gotten a screen cap but wasn't thinking.  Won't make that mistake again.

Changing exit node to London to try to get something in english.

4:54 AM Nothing on front page.

check article titled NBC Cameraman Declared Ebola-Free
http://gawker.com/nbc-cameraman-declared-ebola-free-1649185775

No ads.  Refresh a few times, same result.

Still no ads on these articles, either.  I refreshed each 3-4 times.

http://gawker.com/police-release-audio-from-drunken-palin-family-brawl-1649194331

http://gawker.com/legendary-former-washington-post-editor-ben-bradlee-is-1649146710

http://gawker.com/giant-butt-plug-in-center-of-paris-deflated-by-prude-va-1647992463/1649085287/+cushac

It's now 5:01 AM  I try Valleywag and a few other sites in the gawker network.  Getting no ads at all or even the trending on kinja box.  I turn off the VPN and surf normally.

Get LL Bean on the Gawker home page again.

Click a few articles on the popular on kinja box.

No ads here
http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/how-do-you-launch-americas-newest-360m-ship-like-a-to-1648895883

No ads here
http://cink.hu/ezzel-a-bena-terelessel-minden-hatart-atlepett-a-fides-1649235432

No ads here
http://sploid.gizmodo.com/genius-app-solves-math-problems-by-pointing-your-phone-1649161239

This is annoying.  I change to Internet Explorer, just to try something off the wall (because, really, who would think anybody would use it?).  Still no VPN running.

5:09 AM LL Bean is on the front home page of Gawker

LL Bean is advertising on this Renee Zellweger Pictures article:
http://gawker.com/here-are-some-pictures-of-renee-zellweger-1648827025

Gave 10 refreshes on this article, got LL bean every time.  Screen cap done with snipping tool rather than web cap plugin because I"m on IE and I used a chrome extension to get the full screen caps from before.

5:14 AM  LL Bean on Gawker front page again.

Click this article... get something new!
http://morningafter.gawker.com/tuesday-night-tv-lashes-out-immediately-apologizes-1649033044/+laceydonohue

The CNBC TV show The Profit has ads on this article about Tuesday Night TV. The title is Tuesday Night TV Lashes Out, Immediately Apologizes.

Load the page 10 times, get same ads.  There is an ad at the bottom that is also for the Profit, so they are running 3 ads on this article:  Top, Left and bottom.

5:21 AM Go back to Gawker home page.  LL Bean is there again.

Click Shia LaBeouf article, get no ads, refresh a few times, back to home page.  LL Bean still there

http://defamer.gawker.com/working-out-next-to-shia-labeouf-is-just-as-bizarre-as-1649097971/+laceydonohue

Sarah Palin article without ads
http://gawker.com/sarah-palin-waited-in-the-limo-while-her-family-got-in-1644614042

LL Bean still on Home Page

Click article on Incredibly Handsome Serial Killer Confesses to 39 Murders, get an LL Bean ad in all 3 ad spots, screen cap it.
http://gawker.com/incredibly-handsome-serial-killer-confesses-to-39-murde-1649020842

Refresh 10 times, get same ads.

5:39 AM - LL Bean still on front page

New Trending on Kinja article:  Genius app instantly solves math problems by using phone's camera.  No ads.  I'm on Chrome again. Back to IE and...

5:42AM - Got ads!

There is an ad for Dyson hot + cool and a masthead that looks like a pharmaceudical ad but it takes you to the about sploid page. It has ads from Dyson, Discover and Comcast.

Click article titled This is how you actually break open a giant italian cheese, get ads from iRobot, Comcast and Dyson, the ads change places a bit and I got a ScanSnap ad, continued for 10 refreshes, screen capping results.

5:54 AM

Check Gawker home page again.  More LL Bean

Check some articles.  N Korea releases American Detained for Placing Bible in Nightclub has LL Bean ads
http://gawker.com/north-korea-releases-american-detained-for-placing-bibl-1648967644

SNL gets a little less white, adds leslie jones to cast has The Profit ads on it
http://morningafter.gawker.com/snl-gets-a-little-less-white-adds-leslie-jones-to-cast-1648870040

6:00 AM

Hit Valleywag, get PayPal ads for braintree.  Refresh 10 times.

PayPal is at the top, left and bottom every time.

Go to article You Survived Summer, collect a $150 Visa Gift Card.

It has a Save the Children ad on it.  Seriously.

Here is the article.
http://valleywag.gawker.com/you-survived-summer-collect-a-150-visa-gift-card-1638054665

Here is the page the Save the Children ad links to.
https://secure.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6239401/k.C01C/Global_Action_Fund/apps/ka/sd/donor.asp?_ga=1.13695543.1073756496.1392330112&msource=weanlgaf0214&utm_source=nl&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=nl-0214-brand

6:09 AM  Refresh the survive summer article a few times and get the same ad each time.

Get an ad for Swash on an article titled Infographic:  Are you making the most of your 24-hour day?

http://swash.kinja.com/infographic-are-you-making-the-most-of-your-24-hour-da-1638267047

Swash looks like a clothing care product?  IDK, never heard of it.

They advertise on top, left and bottom slots.

Refresh a few times, move on to a Studio@Gawker article titled Every Possible Apocalypse, From Worst to Best.  No ads.

No ads on Ask the Gawker Staff article.

6:15 AM

On What do you want to see more of on Gawker I got LL Bean ads.
http://gawker.com/what-do-you-want-to-see-more-of-on-gawker-1612312332

Get LL Bean ads on home page again.

No ads on article titled ""Douchebag": The White Racial Slur We've All Been Waiting For"

Get LL Bean ads on "James Blunt Finally Admits "You're Beautiful" is Garbage""

Seriously, who reads this shit?  I've never been exposed to this much bullshit in my life before, and I took sociology 101 in college and minored in philosophy.  This is absurd.

Anyway, back to the hunt...

6:20 AM

LL Bean ads on "All rise for John Oliver's All-Dog Supreme Court"

No ads on "The D-List Right-Wingers Who've Turned Gamergate Into Their Loser Army"

PayPal Braintree ad on "This Is How Whisper Is Tracking Its "Anonymous" Users"

Ads for LL Bean half loaded on an article then the page malfunctioned and loaded some other bullshit.  After trying to get the page back for a minute I moved on...

LL bean ads on a little blurb without a headline, so I screen capped it to show you what I mean.  The first sentence is, "Novelist William Giraldi wants you to know he would appreciate it very much if everyone would stop comparing him so much to Cormac McCarthy."
http://gawker.com/novelist-william-giraldi-wants-you-to-know-he-would-app-1649045327

LL Bean is here also:

http://gawker.com/should-massachusetts-secede-from-eastern-time-to-get-aw-1645763348

Clicked onto this, it has no ads.
http://disputations.gawker.com/this-seems-more-accurate-than-it-intends-to-be-maybe-1647809451

6:27 AM

Get ads on article titles "No, Bram Stoker Did Not Model Dracula on Vlad the Impaler"

http://io9.com/no-bram-stoker-did-not-model-dracula-on-vlad-the-impal-1648969679/+laceydonohue

Get io9 masthead at the top of the page, an Alien Isolation ad on the left ad slot (bragging about 93% rating from PC Gamer, LOL), and nothing at the bottom.  Screen capping it.

Refresh Vlad article a few times, get a Discover ad, screen capped it.

Click around a few more io9 articles, get alien isolation and Comcast ads.  Alien Isolation is the primary sponsor of IO9.

6:33 AM

Click some more IO9 articles get no ads or Alien Isolation ads, no new sponsors to report.  Back to Gawker.

More LL Bean ads on all Gawker articles and Gawker home page.

Valleywag article - no ads

6:39 I'm giving up and summarizing my findings.  I can't take this bullshit any more.

The primary advertiser on Gawker is LL Bean.

Here is a complete list of advertisers I have personally confirmed this morning:

LL Bean
Discover
Old Spice
Ebay
Keurig
CNBC (The Profit)
Dyson
iRobot
Comcast
PayPal
Save the Children
Swash
SEGA (Alien Isolation)