Even though true reach is not comparable to other media, the combination of targeting and contextual advertising allow excellent message testing and brand interaction. As the Internet matures and the bandwidth increases, convergence will be a reality. This will enable a far more narrative creative form that will combine the targeting of online with the reach of broadcast. Many clients are relatively new to understanding the intricacies of online advertising, and the confusion factor ways mightily. For instance, I was asked recently by a vice president of marketing for a major brand the difference between America Online and the Internet.
Most clients associate online advertising with only banner and email advertising.
These clients perceptions of online advertising come down to annoying pop-up banners and spam. Often, they feel a deeper familiarity with the traditional means of advertising, having firsthand experience. Additionally, some blame should be taken by media buyers who are still developing low-quality creative and running untargeted banners, which only helps to perpetuate the myth that online advertising is annoying and obnoxious. Clearly, not all clients are newbies, and not all online advertising is annoying, but I would conservatively estimate that at least 70 percent of the clients I ve worked with fall into this category. Perhaps the notable exception is the dot-com clients that generally understand online advertising.