Why Do Advertisers "Annoy the Shit Out of People"?

Why are advertisers still running online ads that "annoy the shit out of people" by blocking content, using popups, and running ads that blink when you hit the page or stay on your screen after you leave a page?

Idea Grove interviewed Fark.com founder Drew Curtis whose opinion of the sheer ridiculousness of online advertising is totally in sync with ours, and with Steve Hall's at adrants.

The whole approach is counterproductive, Curtis says, because it doesn't take into account what consumers want or will tolerate.

"You know why ads on the right sidebar get better clickthrough rates? Because people are trying to scroll down with their mouse and miss the damn bar, accidentally generating a click. Most popup ad clicks are generated by people missing the X to close the thing out."

That's certainly been my experience. I'm trying to get rid of an ad and I get transported to its site. I can't get out of there fast enough. But it counts as a clickthru

"....Yeah. Assholes. ..."What value is that kind of click to an advertiser?" Curtis asks. "I can't figure out why they want this.... Maybe I'm crazy but I think advertisers should concentrate on enticing the customer with either good product, good ad campaign, or better yet, both."

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Posted by: Servant of Chaos at July 17, 2006 11:47 PM

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Online Ads Gone Bad from Alternative and Internet Marketing - hosted by Ariel
When the web was new(er) and online ads were novel, you could catch some clicks with flashy banners and popups. Now, experience has jaded us and these intrusive tactics are a surefire way to turn off your prospects. ... [Read More]

Tracked on July 17, 2006 4:11 PM