“Eyeblaster’s Dean Donaldson talked us though his presentation, the ominously titled, ‘why the world stopped clicking’. Beginning with a brief history of rich media advertising, Dean highlighted the declining effectiveness of interruptive formats, whilst user initiated advertising remain popular. The main reasons for this change stem from the growing maturity of the online audience. They are more habitualised in the way they consume and engage media and more security savvy; they are less likely to be swayed by the novelty value of interruptive formats as the market has become saturated and they like to be entertained in their chosen environment.*

IAB Internet Marketing Seminar – Branding vs. Direct Response

“Dean focused on how marketers should look beyond trying to pull people to their websites and interrupting the user experience. Instead he recommended that advertisers deliver their content to the user within the publisher’s in-page units without them having to leave the publisher’s site. Behavioural interactive functionality that uses video, for example, can successfully draw the users’ eye from the content to an ad.

“Click-through rates alone should not be trusted as a way of justifying a campaign’s success. Marketers need to find metrics that measures campaign success from branding to response.”

“As advertisers begin to use more branding focused executions, Donaldson concluded his presentation by stating that click-through rates alone should not be trusted as a way of justifying a campaign’s success. Marketers need to find metrics that measures campaign success from branding to response.”

Presentation: Why the World Stopped Clicking (3855k)

* As appeared on the IAB UK website