"Do you think you're more likely to look at an online ad if it contains 1) a picture, 2) an animation or 3) just text? The answer: just text. "A study shows that people are, for whatever reason, more inclined to pay attention to a text-only ad. There are loads of possible reasons, but I think it's because we respond to simple and obvious messages. I'm a huge fan of inventive and original advertising as a means of separating a brand from the rest, and in order to grab the attention and convey a message in an exciting and penetrative way (as I said the other day), but I think that there is a time and a place. I know I ignore the vast majority of bright and colourful banner ads. When making ads for the sides of pages, a common approach is "make something bright, colourful, exciting and attention-grabbing."
But maybe that's not the way forward. On web pages, we're bombarded with the bright and attention-grabbing - so much so, in fact, that that sort of ad gets ignored. I personally find that I will often just register that there is a bright blue flashing ad, realise that its just another ad, and not bother to see through the blue and leave the page with no idea what the banner was advertising. Maybe if it was just simple bold text, I would recognise what the ad was for, and if it was something I was interested in, I'd click it. If the message is clear enough, I will be forced to at least acknowledge what it is that's being offered. Rely on the product being advertised; make the advert as clear as possible. If you know that your advert is only going to be seen out of the corner of someone's eye, how do you want it to be perceived? A cool graphic isn't always best. Sometimes, the bare message gets the message across in a much less avoidable sense.
Sorry for the lack of interesting images or visual excitement today. Maybe you'll have to read this entry, rather than just scanning the images, though...
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