18th January 2003, 8:32 PM
Look at GameFAQs. They simply use a single side banner. Simply put, this is enough for them. They are on every page, yes, but on the other hand, they don't DO anything. They are totally out of the way, minding their own business. They are JUST visual (sometimes animated, which I also don't mind at all), and make no noise. They don't involve pop-ups, forcing you to pay attention. They don't involve flash animations that make them cover ANYTHING on screen, or even step out of their boundery, making you pay attention to them. They don't do anything except sit there animating or whatever. That is what internet ads used to do, and that's what they should STILL do. No more pop-ups, flash, or noises! Ad banners are FINE! If someone is interested in that product, there it is, and they will notice since their brain is looking for such things anyway. If they are NOT interested in it, you are wasting your time shoving it in their face and making them look at it. It's as simple as that. Advertisers are convinced these days that advertising has gone "beyond awareness, to the point of convincing", but I'm afraid they are morons.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)