[whyhow]

Last year around Christmas time I was talking to my wife about what candy I wanted in my stocking. I said something like, "I really like those gold ball candies. I can't remember their name. Maybe ranchero something?"

Then less than an hour later I had an ad on my phone for ferrero rocher candy. It was incredibly creepy.

I know supposedly the Google phone and Google home (in my case a model from Lenovo) doesn't parse your conversation for ads, but I have no other explanation.

[DHPersonal]

Those candies are regularly advertised around the holiday.

[vb6sp6]

Is it possible your wife googled it? That may have flagged your household to receive those ads

[J-dawg]

Almost all of these "OMG Google/Facebook is listening to me" happenings can be explained by this mechanism

[mrsmee89]

That’s incredibly creepy! I get the need for advertising but the sliminess has gone too far. I know it’s silly but I feel like there’s space right now for an ad company with morals that they can prove :)

Also see @davismwfl answer on this thread.