Dive Brief:
- The banner ad, believe it or not, has officially been around for 20 years since Monday.
- When Wired magazine launched HotWired, its online arm, marketing teams from AT&T, Club Med, and now-defunct beverage Zima signed on to have banner ads included on the site.
- Among being the first brands on board, AT&T's banner ad read: 'Have you ever clicked your mouse right here? You will,' which was seen as a groundbreaking marketing move and solidified the staying power of banner ads.
Dive Insight:
Even though banner ads have been around for 20 years now, the relevance has faded. With only a 0.8% click-through rate now, marketers have had to come up with more creative tactics over the years. Luckily between social media, online video, and branded content— the options are much more plentiful. If anything, the 20th birthday should prompt a conversation on what role banner ads play in digital advertising today.