Interactivity is a feature of the web that no other media can provide. For advertisers this is extremely valuable. As exciting as this all sounds, when it comes to interactive banner ads – interaction is rarely used well or taken advantage of.

Recently this interactive banner ad was brought to my attention. I marvelled at its brilliance because (in my opinion) it is the perfect banner ad.

This is the banner ad I'm talking about...

http://adsoftheworld.com/media/online/ikea_resizearoom

Did you like it?
 
Why do I like it so much? 
This banner fully harnesses the power of interaction and the web as an advertising media. By the user interacting with the banner the message is exemplified in a fun, easy to understand way. And did I mention it was fun?

So, what are some elements of good banner advertising?

Attract, not interrupt.
Why should a user who is engrossed in a website’s content take notice of an ad? A good banner ad should attract the users attention and entice the user to click on it. The user should also feel confident that when they click to interact, that they won’t be taken to another website.
Users are annoyed by interrupting ads – no matter how exciting the content may be. If the ad covers the website the user is most likely to scan for the close icon and get rid of it as soon as possible.

Engage, but still convey a message
Engage the audience with content, entertainment and interactivity – take advantage of the web as an interactive platform.
Having said this, the web offers a lot of fun interactive features – does the interaction exemplify and relate to the message or is it simply a gimmick?
Is the message clear and easy to “get” – does the audience have to think very hard?

Does it stand alone as its own ad?
Is this banner part of a campaign including other media (print or television ads)? Can the user fully understand the ad without viewing the TV commercial the banner is running alongside? 

There are a lot of criticisms of online banner advertising. Maybe its because we are rarely faced with quality banner ads so we have discarded banner ads as an ineffective media. As the internet is so clearly a huge part of our lifestyles and with the use of traditional media rapidly decreasing, advertisers and interaction designers have a challenging task ahead to make more valuable, more entertaining, more interactive banner ads.

PT

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Posted in: General, Tips and Tricks, Inspiration