When an ISP as big as Earthlink now offers software included in it’s set up program that bans pop ups, we in this industry must seriously consider the future fate and direction online advertising. Oh sure, there’s lots of other forms of online ad formats from the newly annoying schemes that crawl all over your screen to the mundane animated gif. The challenge is finding the happy medium. In effect, an “agreement” with the consumer where both sides agree to the trade offs inherent in any form of advertising. I sure don’t have the answer but I am a fan of the relatively new expanding banner concept. Roll your mouse over a banner, and it’s expands to a mini site. Roll off, and it reverts to it’s original size.
This format has the relative unobtrusiveness of the good old banner combined with the possibilities inherent in the new rich media formats. We ought to give it a shot.
I am a firm believer that pop up and pop under advertising should be banned. We as an industry should do our part in convincing clients of the tactic’s short term gain-long term loss scenario. And, we should applaud companies like Earthlink who are doing their part too.
