I think obfuscation is a factor. However, I think there are two other factors that should be considered: 1) the call to action is much clearer in the MS Paint ad "Play Free", and 2) the polished ad "looks" like an ad, whereas the MS Paint one doesn't, because "who in their right mind would make an ad that looked like this?"
On the second point, if everyone started making MS Paint ads then users over time will get used to the style as well, and stop clicking. People have an internal ad blocker that takes time to "learn" from existing patterns.
We once did an experiment with Google Adsense. Directly above the ad unit, if you used a large, clear heading "Sponsored Ads" and then compared the results with no heading, the clickthru rate differences were very significant. I don't have the exact number, but something like 3-5X in favor of no heading.
To improve CTR, you can either make a very compelling, contextual ad, OR trick your users into not knowing something is an ad. Tricking is easier and more effective in the short run, but will get you in trouble once your advertisers start looking at their conversion rates and ROI.
I think RIM should have a look at these results and realize that perhaps it should consider putting it's OS (at least partially) in the hands of Google.
They're spending more time working on BB10 in making their own OS awesome, when, at least from this sample, looks like people don't care. It would be easier to hop on the Android bandwagon, and get some new customers that way.
They'll never capture top spot again, but perhaps they can salvage a halfway decent share of the huge smartphone market.
I'm an Android fanboy, and I own a Samsung Captivate running CyangenMod 9 (Android Ice Cream Sandwich). I would seriously consider switching to a Blackberry running that same software configuration, because I prefer the Blackberry hardware and form factor to my Samsung.
The differentiation in my situation would be the form factor and robustness of the physical device.
I am a biased Waterloo, Canada resident, but not a RIM fanboy at all. A switch to Android would allow me to run software that I love on a nice form factor, and it doesn't hurt to support the local guy either.
The bigger question is can they push the ego to the side and make the difficult changes necessary?
Sexism exists in technology and especially the startup world. I've seen it over-and-over again in my experience.
My wife and I co-founded a successful web company together. We have pretty much the exact same background: Engineering grads from same program at the same school, same age within 10 days of each other, we both worked in SV as software engineers before launching our startup. We even both played competitive soccer.
However, over the years it is has been a common occurrence that with an introduction to a new tech/startup person, there's an assumption that I'm the technical person. I get spoken to in that way, and my wife is assumed to be non-(or less)-technical than I am. In one such a meeting, we were asked who is the CEO (from a veteran entrepreneur), she responded that she was, and the guy chuckled. We asked him why what was so funny about that? He mumbled and tripped over his words without explanation.
When we work together, thoughts of gender don't even come to mind. We're too damn busy trying to build something that someone gives a sh about.
That's consistent with our Google Analytics. Visits from DDG are up to 58 last week, up from 15 the first week in January with a steady climb. There was a dip last week over week for some reason.
Compared to Google's 38K visits for last week, they have a long way to go to make a dent. We perform better in DDG results, as well.
