The Rise and Fall of The Banner Ad

The Rise and Fall of The Banner Ad

This story was originally published by

As we're increasingly discovering, there are many better and more effective ways to advertise than banner ads.




The death knell for the banner ad is tolling and few are lamenting its decline. Farhad Manjoo of the New York Times certainly isn’t shedding any tears.

The advertising design has for years assaulted site visitors with “Click Me!” shout-outs, dare ad tactics, and slow website loading times.

There’s something to be said for its influence on the history of the web. For the past twenty years the banner ad has, in a way, dictated how the web has evolved. Back on Oct. 27, 1994, the website HotWired (now Wired) set in motion the advertising revolution. It had 14 companies launch banner ads on the site, which included MCI, Volvo, Club Med, 1-800-Collect, AT&T, and Zima. Wired recalled on the banner ad’s sweet 16 that AT&T’s first ad read: “Have you ever clicked your mouse right here? You will.”

It was a success that allowed companies to monetize pages and expand across the web. The companies selling the ads could now know how many people clicked on the ad link or saw the page. This direct ad-to-purchase transparency led to advertisers learning how effective banner ads really were, and they weren’t. This meant advertisers could get a seat at the top of the page for a bargain price. But in order for site owners to turn a profit, there needed to be a change in business model – page views became paramount to the success of the website. Traffic numbers became the life-blood of editors and content creators.

Read the full article here.




Please login with linkedin to comment

agencies Campaign. The Footnotes RTB

Latest News

Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
  • Media

Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm

Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]

Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
  • Advertising

Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth

The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA  Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]