42244 1 3 econsultancy_xml <p>We have previously praised the Telegraph on this site for its introduction of <a href="/blog/1198-daily-telegraph-launches-blogs-for-readers">blogs for readers</a>, but it now automatically starts playing videos complete with sound without asking me. Bad Telegraph!</p> <p>Navigate to the <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/wine/index.jhtml">Food and Drink section</a> of the newspaper's website, and a video of a Ford ad starts to play. The onto Lloyd bloody Grossman. It's all very unusual, and very noisy...</p> <p> <img alt="Telegraph audio ad" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2043/2328190349_b10ee90b53_o.jpg" /> </p> <p> <strong>Audio is an intrusion</strong>, especially when the user is not expecting it. For instance, some people may be doing a spot of clandestine surfing at work, so sudden audio can be pretty embarrassing. </p> <p>Even the RadioTimes has got in on the act, and - Mother of God - the audio is <strong>impossible to turn off</strong>. This was the ad, for Channel 4's Cutting Edge programme, and whoever made it should hang their heads in shame: </p> <p> <img alt="RadioTimes Channel 4 ad" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3001/2329011150_767a692763_o.jpg" /> </p> <p>Naturally I aimed for the mute symbol to switch off the sound...</p> <p> <img alt="Channel 4 video ad" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2051/2329010258_82b296927b_m.jpg" /> </p> <p>However, clicking 'mute' <strong>opened up a pop-up </strong>which sent me to the Channel 4 website: </p> <p> <img alt="Channel 4 pop-up" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3194/2328190887_63fabe97bd_o.jpg" /> </p> <p>Are you feeling my pain? It is baffling. The auditory assault was annoying enough, but to then trick me into visiting another website makes it even worse. </p> <p>Why would a web-savvy brand like C4 <em>choose to pay over the odds</em> to create and place these intrusive ad formats? To wind people up? And so much for the Radio Times user experience. Why does the Radio Times accept this kind of low grade advertising? Desperation, presumably. </p> <p>There's nothing wrong with video ads, but my solution would be to keep the ads silent and then give the user the option of turning the sound ON if they want to view the ad. Not the other way round. </p> <p>I guess the takeaway here is that if you resort to shouting then it means you are not being listened to. Advertising is all about targeting, not crappy formats and poorly executed creative. </p> <p>Isn't it amazing that we're still bitching about this stuff in 2008?</p> <p> <strong>Related stories:</strong> <br /> <a href="/blog/2062-five-bad-web-advertising-techniques">Five bad web advertising techniques</a> <br /> <a href="/blog/1811-10-reasons-why-your-website-sucks">10 reasons why your website sucks </a> </p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph>We have previously praised the Telegraph on this site for its introduction of <Link URL="/blog/1198-daily-telegraph-launches-blogs-for-readers" Window="Self">blogs for readers</Link>, but it now automatically starts playing videos complete with sound without asking me. Bad Telegraph!</Paragraph> <Paragraph>Navigate to the <Link URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/wine/index.jhtml" Window="Self">Food and Drink section</Link> of the newspaper's website, and a video of a Ford ad starts to play. The onto Lloyd bloody Grossman. It's all very unusual, and very noisy...</Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Telegraph audio ad" Source="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2043/2328190349_b10ee90b53_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Audio is an intrusion</Emphasis>, especially when the user is not expecting it. For instance, some people may be doing a spot of clandestine surfing at work, so sudden audio can be pretty embarrassing. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Even the RadioTimes has got in on the act, and - Mother of God - the audio is <Emphasis>impossible to turn off</Emphasis>. This was the ad, for Channel 4's Cutting Edge programme, and whoever made it should hang their heads in shame: </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="RadioTimes Channel 4 ad" Source="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3001/2329011150_767a692763_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">Naturally I aimed for the mute symbol to switch off the sound...</Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Channel 4 video ad" Source="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2051/2329010258_82b296927b_m.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">However, clicking 'mute' <Emphasis>opened up a pop-up </Emphasis>which sent me to the Channel 4 website: </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Channel 4 pop-up" Source="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3194/2328190887_63fabe97bd_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">Are you feeling my pain? It is baffling. The auditory assault was annoying enough, but to then trick me into visiting another website makes it even worse. </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">Why would a web-savvy brand like C4 <Quote>choose to pay over the odds</Quote> to create and place these intrusive ad formats? To wind people up? And so much for the Radio Times user experience. Why does the Radio Times accept this kind of low grade advertising? Desperation, presumably. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>There's nothing wrong with video ads, but my solution would be to keep the ads silent and then give the user the option of turning the sound ON if they want to view the ad. Not the other way round. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>I guess the takeaway here is that if you resort to shouting then it means you are not being listened to. Advertising is all about targeting, not crappy formats and poorly executed creative. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Isn't it amazing that we're still bitching about this stuff in 2008?</Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left"> <Emphasis>Related stories:</Emphasis> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/2062-five-bad-web-advertising-techniques" Window="Self">Five bad web advertising techniques</Link> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/1811-10-reasons-why-your-website-sucks" Window="Self">10 reasons why your website sucks </Link> </Paragraph> </FormattedContent> 2008-03-12T12:32:00+00:00 1 1 econsultancy_xml <p> <strong>There are a number of very irritating advertising techniques still used on the web today. Pop-ups, overlays and site intros are all highly annoying, but for me the worst ads are the ones that play sound as soon as you visit a web page. </strong> </p> <p>I seem to be noticing this a lot more recently, and it isn't limited to low rent websites or brands. A bunch of well-respected sites regularly allow this, despite the fact that it makes visitors aim for the Back button.</p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>There are a number of very irritating advertising techniques still used on the web today. Pop-ups, overlays and site intros are all highly annoying, but for me the worst ads are the ones that play sound as soon as you visit a web page. </Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>I seem to be noticing this a lot more recently, and it isn't limited to low rent websites or brands. A bunch of well-respected sites regularly allow this, despite the fact that it makes visitors aim for the Back button.</Paragraph> </FormattedContent> false 2262 365235 Online advertisers! Stop shouting at me! false 2008-03-12T17:04:00+00:00 online-advertisers-stop-shouting-at-me 2009-04-28T23:06:48+01:00 2009-04-28T23:06:48+01:00 326