I don't believe FT contracts with individual advertisers, but rather with a broker who consolidates ads for display on websites such as FT. As such, FT has limited control over what may appear on their pages at any given time.

I do think I saw the ad in question. IIRC, and I may be wrong, it said something about my being the 80,xxx visitor to the website. Since we are coming right up on 3 million posts, let alone visits, I didn't pay it a second thought.

It's like those IQ ads that ask you to pick one of four choices. There are no choices to be made. The mere act of clicking on the ad takes you to the advertisers site.

Clicking on any banner ad is a buyer beware situation. I'd just count it as a lesson learned.

Counsellor is right about bringing it to Randy's attention. It wouldn't surprise me if websites sites could blacklist specific ads.