October 08, 2003
Pop-Up Advertising
I've become a huge fan of pop-up ad killers like Pop-Up Defender (no, this is not a product plug, it's just one of many I've tried). With the proliferation of the ads, I'd find myself clicking-closed windows all over the place, only to find that more had opened in the background. Whoever developed the code to make pop-up ads work has both my applause for making a recognizable advertising medium and my disdain for wreaking havoc on what would otherwise be a normal web-surfing experience. Side note: unfortunately, pop-up software does nothing to the shockwave overlay ads that are now coming into fashion.
Some of the worst offenders are the so-called "free" web hosting companies who lace the code in their pages with calls for pop-up ads promoting their services. Angelfire is one hosting services that wins the annoying pop-up ad award.
Pop-up registration and survey windows "greet" me at many sites, often attempting to sell me services to which I already subscribe (NetFlix and This Old House magazine just as a couple examples), or fill out surveys on how easy the site was to use, even before I use it.
With all the available technology in our hands these days (like USB keys and biometric system login methods) it seems logical that we should be able to plug into our computer a key which contains our "portable" data like subscription info. Log into the key (still provides protection against identity theft) and permit sites to access only the informatin on the key (also helps protect your computer). Then the sites would recognize that I already subscribe to their service, or have requested they stop sending me ads or information, and the pop-up would be automatically refused (hey! he already pays us for our service... great!). I'd like something like that. If you build it, don't forget it's my idea: 20% gross-revenue royalty payments can be made payable to me.
Obviously, I have to get a grip on the reality of effective marketing. Exposure (impressions) to a product or service promotes "brand awareness" and, hopefully, drives consumer behavior (buy! stay! come back soon!) in a positive way. Pop-up ads get people's attention, even if it's negative. Think of the X10 ads. They are everywhere, and I get frequent requests asking how to make them stop (go to www.x10.com/x10ads.htm or simply click to prevent the X10 ads from popping up for 30 days). It's nice to have an out, if you know that it exists, but truth be told, huge numbers of web-surfers have seen the ads and bought the products. Marketing isn't about providing an out, however, it's about exposure. Getting the message to your audience efficiently and effectively. That's one reason I love marketing. Effective marketing makes people love the brand, the experience, and they want to come back for more. Pop-up ads, however, make me cringe. Effective marketing doesn't have to alienate.