Re: Rich media hype and the future of online advertising

From: Bob Gordon <bgordon_at_theautochannel.com>
Date: Thu 15 Feb 2001 15:55:29 -0600

Way to go Leonardo...I have earned my living in the
media for over 35 years. For the past 6 years I have
been the President and Co-Publisher of The Auto
Channel, an Advertising Supported Content Site that
features information and entertainment from and about
the automotive universe.

I read your contribution and have been immersed in the
continuing groundswell of bull about how Rich Media
banners are the answer to raising CTR's.

Well here is what I think.

Low (whatever that means) click through rates are
simply a result of: unrealistic expectations or the
advertisers message being placed in the wrong context
aimed to the wrong audience or having the right message
for that audience but executing it poorly.

These same things have and continue to happen in every
media...except the ability to instantly determine just
how poorly your advertising is doing is virtually
impossible to determine on TV or Radio or Magazines or
Newspapers.

Only The Internet gives advertisers a real time
scorecard tool with which to judge their advertising's
effectiveness...as this attribute has been
unfortunately manifested, this is absolutely unfair to
this fledgling medium. Every other media would fold up
their tent and die if they were measured by the same
judgment criteria as Internet advertising.

Instead of excuses to smokescreen poor decisions and
one more techno-subterfuge that preaches, Rich Media is
the Way and the Light, advertisers should demand that
their agency produce more effective messages and place
them in a context that is relevant. The correct
combination will induce a viewer to respond to the
offering not only with their mouse but also with their
checkbook.

The real message of low CTR is "how little interest
your company's message elicits from the viewers of that
site".

Our real world experience over the past 5 years has
proven that creative, and where it is placed, has
everything to do with CTR.

Banners placed on The Auto Channel have CTR_s of from
0.01% to 35%. In fact when one company changed it_s
creative, the CTR dropped from 4.6% to 0.30%
instantly...the same site, the same company the same
message just the creative changed.

As a publisher I am responsible for the financial well
being of my publication and as such have struggled
against the "common knowledge" that, The Internet and
banners just don't work...Bulls--t.

In this difficult economy I would think that
advertising directed at audiences that pre-select what
they are interested in, would supersede the Bull of
Rich Media Banners let_s hear a story about that
please.

Regards,
Bob Gordon, President
The Auto Channel, Inc.





Received on Thu Feb 15 2001 - 15:55:29 CST