DoGood plug-in replaces generic ads with eco-friendly banner ads (Includes interview)

When you first hear about DoGood Headquarter‘s technology, you wonder Is this for real? After all, the browser plug-in recognizes regular banner ads on a site and automatically replaces them with custom ads supporting green, health-wellness or philanthropic initiatives. DoGood is indeed the real deal, and it’s redefining how we view ads on the Web.

“The DoGooder encourages people to move from social and consumer pacifists to social and consumer activists,” says Faisal Sethi, co-founder of DoGood Headquarters, based in Ottawa, Ontario.

In an interview with Digitaljournal.com, Sethi says the plug-in uses an algorithm to identify banner ads and replace them with ads in the DoGood inventory. They could be from organizations such as the David Suzuki Foundation or the Humane Society.

Since its launch last year, DoGood HQ has enjoyed 3,500 downloads of its free plug-in…and counting. Sethi also notes how the average overall click-through rate for Web ads is 0.11 percent but the custom ads using the plug-in see anywhere from 0.11 to 0.56 percent click-through, depending on placement and location. It’s a marginal increase, but any little bit counts in the competitive industry of online advertising.

What a website looks like after downloading the DoGood plug-in, which allows you to see green-friendly ads instead of generic advertising

From DoGood HQ

Sethi explains how advertisers and media buyers approach DoGood. Media buys are made by companies such as Toyota Prius, and DoGood then donates half of the campaign’s profits to organizations (Greenpeace, for instance). The ad promotes the Prius, but half of that click-through money goes to a charity.

But won’t some websites be upset that the DoGood plug-in replaces their ads? “We’re not blocking ads,” Sethi stresses. “Rather, destination sites are still getting paid for their ad campaigns. We’re giving the consumer more information and flexibility.” He also notes how users can still see original ads if they wish; also, by right-clicking an ad in Firefox (sorry, no Explorer support yet), you can help improve DoGood’s algorithm when certain ads aren’t being replaced. “We like to add a bit of crowdsourcing to our business,” he says.

As a company, it’s a lean operation: up to nine people work at DoGood, and Sethi hires developers when they need to make a critical update. The company is close to being self-sufficient, and Sethi predicts in the third quarter of 2010 it’ll turn a profit.

Sethi is excited to see how more corporations are latching onto green initiatives. “As more companies develop products in the green space, it’s good news for us.”