Re: Why online advertising sucks

From: Adrian Harvey <aharvey_at_sympatico.ca>
Date: Fri 09 Mar 2001 09:20:56 -0600

I just sent this missive to another dicussion group. It
applies to this group's topic as well.

As you all probably know by now, there are numerous new,
larger sizes of 'banners' being promoted by the IAB.
This is my response to this development. I post it here
because this, IMHO, is why online advertising sucks.
Here's the post with questions for purposes of context:

Subject: Expectations for New Banner Sizes

The IAB has announced a new collection of banner ad size
standards for publishers.
http://www.digitrends.net/mna/index_14647.html

The newly approved sizes are:

300 x 200 = 60,000 pixels
336 x 280 = 94,080 pixels
240 x 400 = 96,000 pixels
250 x 250 pop-up window = 62,500 pixels
180 x 150 = 27,000 pixels
160 x 600 = 96,000 pixels
120 x 600 = 72,000 pixels
( http://www.digitrends.net/marketing/13637_14639.html )

For reference purposes, the 468 x 60 = 28,080 pixels.
I guess the 468 x 60 horizontal standard and smaller
versions will be kept around for now.

My questions for publishers in the group are:

1.) Do you expect to be implementing these new sizes
soon, or only in response to demand from advertisers or
networks?

2.) What do you think will be the response of your
audience to the larger sizes?

My questions for advertisers and agencies are:

A.) Are you willing to pay higher prices for more
real estate if response rates remain at current low
levels?

B.) What do you plan to do differently to take
advantage of the larger sizes?

****************
My response:

IT'S WAKE-UP TIME!!

You're asking the wrong questions! Ask the *readers* who
are obliged to avoid irrelevant, annoying, 'in-your-face'
advertising on the Web like the plague. Trying to read
content on websites is like driving down mainstreet
Las Vegas...BILLBOARDS, PLACARDS, FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!
ROADBLOCKS...ATTENTION AND FLOW KILLERS...WHERE AM I?
Pretty soon we won't be able to see the text at all for
ad detritus...

Smart, moneyed, task-oriented consumers who use the Web
daily (the most important people on earth to us all) want
helpful, relevant info that addresses their specific
interests and needs...not annoyance beyond belief...
and you're expecting ad agencies to commit more of their
clients' money to an approach that will *totally piss
consumers off moreso than now!!* They have already had
enough of being treated like eyeballs with no brains
......right?

Yes, I personally am fed up with website advertising
that forces the Web to adapt to traditional, dead,
print media approaches, or to pitifully try to emulate
TV...there are much better ways...but the publishers
et al will *never* be able to implement them...because
their heads, and those at the IAB (which is supported
by publishers, by the way) are trapped in the past.
And with these new sizes (read more ways to hype
ineffective banners as 'improved' - and to make more
money) they are walking head first into their own
noose....already the panic is written all over their
faces.

I'm a 35-year advertising professional....with 10+
in eBusiness...and I'm totally dismayed by the lack of
intelligence on the part of web marketers and web
media...lately the web marketers and dot commers
learned their hard lesson...now it's online media's
turn...

The Web is being killed by this form of advertising.
Perhaps the new way of Peer-to-Peer Marketing - where
it's possible to take a totally new approach to
supporting and serving consumers the way *they want
it* - will help to show the way to a blind,
insensitive industry that always wants it their
way....

Sorry, but I've had enough of reading about everything
that's going down in online advertising today - always
from the point of view of an industry that will never
understand that new forms of communications must now
touch the heart of consumers who are ready and open
to a new, *caring and collaborative approach* from
advertisers.

They don't want to be hit on any more. If you don't
believe me...ask them! Starting with oneself.

Respectfully, but fed up myself.

Adrian Harvey

P.S. I feel better already :-)
--
**************************************************
Adrian Harvey, eBusiness Consultant.
eStrategies, eSolutions, eServices / eBusiness
Seminars and Workshops
Creator/Writer/Producer/Project Manager/Trainer
aharvey_at_p2pstrategies.com 416.533.9211
***************************************************



Received on Fri Mar 09 2001 - 09:20:56 CST