Online Advertising

Upon talking about online advertising in our Trends in Advertising class I couldn't agree more, that today more then ever before companies are looking to join the online world. The fact of the matter is that online advertising, at least effective online advertising, isn't executed all that well. Traditional advertising such as Newspaper, Television are intrusive media which demand attention. A commercial can't be avoided you are focused to view them. However, with the internet consumers can chose to never visit a site again. They have much more control and with that control, advertisers lose their audiences attention, the attention that in past was acquired much more easily. Social networks are booming and now people are gathering information from other people not advertisers, consumers are searching, posting and sharing their opinions and experiences, now purchase decisions are made by another individual recommendations as oppose to companies advertisements.

A lot of companies do not put much effect into researching how to execute online advertising effectively for their business. Opening a Twitter account just for the sake of opening a Twitter because all companies have one, doesn't mean it will do anything for your company. The name of the company is slipping my mind at the moment, but they used a Twitter account effective to post estimated waiting time enabling their clients to view estimated wait times.  Many companies are using online advertising as though it were a traditional media, which it definitely isn't you true have to find something that your target audience wants to know, is interested or create interactive ways to gain your targets attention. Pop ads are just annoying and banner ads are being over looked.

A great way example is the Dove viral video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U 
It moved away from your typical banner ad and used YouTube to help promote their brand and send out their company's key message. It got over 12 million views using new fun, interactive ways to get your message across is what companies need to be looking to do in order to create successful online advertising campaigns.