Re: UKNM: Mo' Banner Blues

[jim smith]

Ray Taylor wrote:


>

Robin Edwards <robinclockworx [dot] co [dot] uk> said

>

> >It is true - the stats do add up like that. However, modify a few variables and

> >things may look a bit better (I'll come to an example in a minute).

>

> <big snips both ends>

>

> Robin is right to point out the complexities of creating effective banner

> campaigns, more so the kind of sponsorship deals that Cait and others on

> this list favour.


there are no complexities. the problem is that you're trying to make something work

inappropriately.


good advertising is a subtle process, but its fundamentals are simple: matching

medium, brand and consumer desires in the best way to achieve a marketing

objective.


banner ads on the web are as inappropriate as lineage classifieds on the cinema

screen. that might sound like a slogan, but i'm dead serious: you wouldn't try to

convince a client that all their cinema advertising should be 14 point times, so

why try to convince a client that a medium based around community and information

is appropriate for short sharp branding efforts - particularly given that you're

trying to imbue brand values through a technology (animated gifs) that is as

limited as woodblocks.


> Why then do so many advertisers still want to do it themselves, without the

> help of an online media agency? Media owners tell me maybe half of all web

> advertising is booked direct. Granted there are few specialist online media

> houses in the UK at present, but even so, some of the mixed web design and

> media/marketing companies (I am told) do a good job too, as do the likes of

> Modem Poppe and BMP Interaction (by reputation).


because banner ads are a low-budget, extremely-low-response medium and giving

someone a bit extra to do it "intelligently" is not at all cost-effective.

particularly not when the media buyer pretends they're selling consultancy and

strategy instead of haggling skills.


> This year will see some big online media agency launches, perhaps from the

> US. I for one will be glad to see it happen even though it means more

> competition for my company, because I believe it will help UK advertisers

> get away from the crummy DIY approach that many are still taking. How many

> companies book their own TV advertising?


depends on the channel, no? no, of course they don't book several million quids

worth of white goods advertising direct. but i suspect the sales teams for

low-viewer cable channels have learnt that it's more productive and cost effective

to ring the client rather than the agency. particularly when a slot is going cheap.


> With £20 million pa being spent on web advertising in the UK, and rising

> rapidly, isn't it about time that UK advertisers started to take web

> advertising seriously and act professionally?


they are: they're building sponsorship-led sites and becoming partners in portals.

the smart money knows that banner advertising does nt work effectively in this

iteration of the web.


j 

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