Apple Ads You Can’t Ignore–Even on the Web
by Peter Kafka
Posted on March 9, 2009 at 4:28 AM PT
There’s increasing evidence that Web surfers have responded to the crush of online advertising by training themselves to ignore the ads altogether. Bad news for marketers and publishers alike.
Here’s the solution Apple has been using: Place the ads where you’re not used to seeing them. And make them so big–and so interesting–that you can’t look away.
For the latest example, head over to Pitchfork, the hipper-than-all-of-thou music site, where Apple (AAPL) has repurposed a TV ad for the iPod touch. Instead of simply running in a box at the top or side of the page, the ad literally bursts across the front page. This screenshot will give you the idea (click to enlarge):
Here’s a less frenetic, but just as effective, pitch Apple used last week: Oversized video banners that ran across the home pages of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.
Apple has been doing this sort of stuff for a while. New York Times and WSJ readers have seen the Mac/PC duo squabbling on those sites’ front pages since 2007. But the technique doesn’t seem to get old.
Admittedly, you can’t do this with every brand, and you can only do it in limited doses. And one of the main reasons this works is that you’re not used to seeing oversized ads on the top third of most sites. So this technique isn’t a cure-all for Web advertising’s creative rut. But it sure is a refreshing change of pace.
UPDATE: Get ready to see many more oversized ads that insist on your attention.
Comments
AdBlock Plus in Firefox makes these adds non-existent.
Posted by Richard Frisch at March 9th, 2009 at 4:51 amLike clockwork.
Posted by Peter Kafka at March 9th, 2009 at 5:20 amI went to Pitchfork and got:
Oh No!
Server Error
Something has gone awry, but we’ve been notified and are (probably) working on fixing what broke.
Good work Peter.
Posted by Dave Barnes at March 9th, 2009 at 8:09 amPeter,
On a more serious note following Richard’s comment.
What happens when everyone runs ad blocking software in their browser? How will any sites stay in business? At what point will advertisers realize that paying for impressions not seen is insane?
.dave
Posted by Dave Barnes at March 9th, 2009 at 8:16 amI’m not sure that “everyone” is going to run ad blocking software: Can’t see Microsoft making ad block a default on IE, for starters. Also, some people enjoy or value advertising.
Posted by Peter Kafka at March 9th, 2009 at 1:01 pmThat said, it is a real problem for advertisers and publishers. I’ve heard some ominous rumblings from some publishers threatening to boot ad-blocking users (they can do so because it’s in their TOS). Unlikely they’ll do it though. But in the end, advertisers/publishers don’t need to wait for mass adoption of ad blockers to have a problem – even people who *see* ads generally don’t click or otherwise engage with them.