They know where I've been.
They know where I am.
They think by presenting ads based on sites I've just visited or based on my current IP address, it will make me more willing to click on their banner ads.
But frankly, they just creep me out.
This is the ad I was presented with - a Russian ad banner - while in Russia.
Besides the creep factor of these "smart" ads, why else are they useless?
I can't read them.
When will brands get smart about advertising online? These are banner ads, for goodness sake. We've had them online for over a decade.
Just because you have the technology to do something, doesn't mean it is always a good idea to use it. And if your ad agency said to do this, get a new agency.