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Web banners, or banner ads, represent a crucial method of online advertising^[2]. These digital signs draw visitors to a website by connecting them to the advertiser’s webpage. Originating from Prodigy, a company owned by IBM and Sears, web banners transformed the landscape of online advertising since the 1980s. The first interactive ad was introduced by the Global Network Navigator (GNN) in 1993, setting the foundation for contemporary internet^[3] marketing. These banners can fulfill various roles, from enhancing visual appeal to informing about goods or services. They also allow for real-time tracking of advertisement campaigns. However, the annoyance factor^[1] associated with web banners has spurred the development of ad-blocking technologies. Nevertheless, they continue to be a vital component of online advertising, adhering to sizes and guidelines set by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).

Terms definitions

1. ↑ annoyance factor. The Annoyance Factor in Advertising denotes the elements within advertisements that have the potential to frustrate or bother viewers. This notion considers the evolution of annoyance evaluation in the advertising industry, encompassing methodologies such as content analysis, execution style, and placement categorization. It further scrutinizes the effects of these elements on advertisement creation, positioning, and comprehensive marketing tactics. The annoyance factor is pivotal in determining brand recognition and consumer behavior, and it can sway ad evasion. Evaluating annoyance incorporates both qualitative and quantitative techniques. This concept also encompasses the impact of diverse domains such as film, music, art, design, and copywriting in mitigating advertising annoyance. The topic also delves into the study of consumer behavior in response to ad annoyance, and the governance and management of irritating advertisements. The annoyance factor in advertising is not restricted to a single medium, but is applicable across multiple platforms.

2. ↑ advertising. Promoting a product or service through communication, also known as advertising, aims to inform or persuade a target audience. Its roots trace back to early civilizations where sales messages were inscribed on Egyptian papyrus, and wall murals were utilized for promotional purposes across ancient Asia, Africa, and South America. Over the centuries, advertising has adapted to technological advancements and the rise of mass media, transitioning from newspaper prints to audio-visual and digital platforms. The strategies employed in advertising vary, with some focusing on raising awareness or boosting sales, targeting different demographics at a local, national, or international level. Common methods encompass print, radio, web banners, and television commercials, among others. Modern advertising models have introduced innovative trends like guerrilla marketing and interactive advertisements. Women's contribution to advertising is significant, with their perspectives highly valued due to their influential purchasing power.

Web banner (Wikipedia)

A web banner or banner ad is a form of advertising on the World Wide Web delivered by an ad server. This form of online advertising entails embedding an advertisement into a web page. It is intended to attract traffic to a website by linking to the website of the advertiser. In many cases, banners are delivered by a central ad server. This payback system is often how the content provider is able to pay for the Internet access to supply the content in the first place. Usually though, advertisers use ad networks to serve their advertisements, resulting in a revshare system and higher quality ad placement.

Web banners function the same way as traditional advertisements are intended to function: notifying consumers of the product or service and presenting reasons why the consumer should choose the product in question, a fact first documented on HotWired in 1996 by researchers Rex Briggs and Nigel Hollis. Web banners differ in that the results for advertisement campaigns may be monitored real-time and may be targeted to the viewer's interests.

Behavior is often tracked through the use of a click tag.

Many web surfers regard web advertisements as annoying because they distract from a web page's actual content or waste bandwidth. In some cases, web banners cover screen content that the user wishes to see. Newer web browsers often include software "adblocker" options to disable pop-ups or block images from selected websites. Another way of avoiding banners is to use a proxy server that blocks them, such as Privoxy. Web browsers may also have extensions available that block banners, for example Adblock Plus for Mozilla Firefox, or AdThwart for Google Chrome and ie7pro for Internet Explorer.

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