Web Surfing To Become More Annoying

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

Yuch:

The Online Publishers Assn. on Tuesday released several new in-your-face advertising formats designed to be both more obtrusive and interactive.

Twenty-seven top Internet publishers — including the New York Times, CNN, CBS Interactive, ESPN and the Wall Street Journal — say they'll try the supersize ads in an attempt to get the attention of Web surfers who have learned to ignore banners.

The websites, which collectively reach two-thirds of the U.S. Internet audience, must walk a fine line so they don't bug visitors so much that they stop returning.

"Studies show we ignore banner ads," said Jose Castillo, a new media consultant in Johnson City, Tenn. "Making them bigger and more intrusive won't work. We will tune those out as well."

So what's their solutions?

1.  "Fixed panel" ads — which look like part of the static page, but scroll up and down as you do

2.  "XXL box" ads — ads in which users can turn the pages

3.  "Pushdown" ads — ads which open to display larger ads

Look, I understand that Internet publishers need these things to increase their ad revenue — especially media sites who are losing newspaper readers.

But, you know — ugh.