Advertisements - From the Ridiculous to the Absurd

[MichaelM02067]

I seriously wonder if AARP is actively trying to discourage game play on the site.  First was the annoying and disruptive dancing red banner, the primary purpose of which was seemingly to allow for more advertising. Then this morning we wake to the banner advertisement for salmonella oats and subsequent oat-tastic background on the solitaire site.  It really does seem like they are trying to drive people away.

While it would be nice to simply revert to the halcyon days of limited advertisements it seems that AARP is really intent on raising money.  I'm sure they've done the math and calculated that the number of people who will cancel memberships generate less income than the ads bring in. So I suppose we are stuck with it. Might I suggest this? How about you charge slightly more for a commercial ad free membership? I'd gladly pay an extra $5 a year to be able to play the games in peace. 

[AARPHannah · Accepted solution]

Hi @MichaelM02067, @nctarheel, @Winter2024, @bigdog9, @d41808g, @x002657,

Thank you for your feedback. For a Solitaire game with a green background, I suggest this version of Original Classic Solitaire: https://games.aarp.org/games/original-classic-solitaire     

[nctarheel]

@MichaelM02067 ,

Why don’t you simply add AdBlocker Plus to the browser you use for AARP games. It is easy to do as I have done it and I am as technology challenged as they come. It gets rid of 

all the annoying ads. I play games, one after the other, with NO INTERRUPTIONS. 

[MichaelM02067]

Thanks for the suggestion but I already have an ad-blocker (Privacy Badger) running.  Unfortunately the most current ad campaign for Quaker would not be blocked as it is incorporated into the Classic Solitaire game itself.  

Really just a broader comment on the over-commercialization of what is intended to be a support and advocacy organization. It seems that the roughly $46 million (2022 financial statement) in digital advertising revenue is viewed as more significant than the potential loss of membership dues from those who simply want to pass some time playing a few games. 

[bigdog9]

so i have to pay to get rid of the ads in addition to the membership fee...looks like the greed has spread...aarp to help seniors?fixed incomes and now i have to pay to grt rid of ads...thanks you greedy ingrates

[Winter2024]

(3/4/24) @bigdog9 , they have the MONOPOLY in the Senior Marketplace and I keep "hoping" we will get OTHER options. Time for some OTHER Organization = AARP does NOT care about its members!!!  😎

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[*** @bigdog9 wrote:

so i have to pay to get rid of the ads in addition to the membership fee...looks like the greed has spread...aarp to help seniors?fixed incomes and now i have to pay to grt rid of ads...thanks you greedy ingrates ***]

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[Winter2024]

(2/29/24) @MichaelM02067 , by this time NEXT YEAR they will get the message = they lost thousands in 2021 when they deleted their Political Forum.

2025 (next year) will be the SAME = old timers LEAVING & NEWBIES will too once they experience this site.  😎

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[*** MICHAEL @MichaelM02067 wrote:

Thanks for the suggestion but I already have an ad-blocker (Privacy Badger) running.  Unfortunately the most current ad campaign for Quaker would not be blocked as it is incorporated into the Classic Solitaire game itself.  

Really just a broader comment on the over-commercialization of what is intended to be a support and advocacy organization. It seems that the roughly $46 million (2022 financial statement) in digital advertising revenue is viewed as more significant than the potential loss of membership dues from those who simply want to pass some time playing a few games. ***]

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[x002657]

They do seem to have become extremely and shamefully greedy in recent years.

As for suggestions, I prefer that paying members be given ad-free access as long as they're logged-in, and ads be served only to those who don't log-in. We're already paying money for membership and discounts few, if any, seem to use, while it's very possible, (if not likely), our info, page views, etc are being sold for profit, also; why should we also be taxed with our time?

The oatmeal background and card faces for solitaire are distracting and annoying, both further proof that corporate America and the dollar rule.

AARP is registered as a 501(c)(4) non-profit by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which means it is permitted to engage in lobbying. It also administers some 501(c)(3) public charity operations while some of its other operations are for-profit. It also has the AARP Foundation. IMO, any business/organization that has enough money to establish it's own "charitable foundation" is charging too much for what it does and any foundation it creates/administers is more for its' own benefit than for anyone else. Charge less for what you do and let me choose where to direct the admittedly few "excess" dollars.

My rant for the day.

[d41808g]

at the least do the ad like they do on the klondike site and put the ads on the backs of the cards

[d41808g]

ONLY on the back of the cards not the whole background please

[d41808g]

 Thank you for putting the game back to the green background!!!!

[d41808g]

 why did I have a green background and now i have the stupid quaker oats background an hour later?