Banner Ad Branding -
Dan Janal's viewpoint
Banner ads are best suited for IHR clients who:
- want a U.S. nationwide exposure
- want to stand out from other advertisers
- want to establish strong brand identity with users
Dan Janal, owner of PRleads.com and a long-time Internet marketer, has written a helpful explanation of using banner ads for branding:
"Banners are useful for building brand because of the repetition factor. You can place the banner on many targeted sites and people to gain attention. Then the tried and true maxims of advertising and repetition take over!
People see it once and it barely registers in their minds. People see it again and read it seriously for the first time. People see it one more time and pay attention. People see it yet again and recognize your logo and colors. People see it again and remember your slogan. People see it one more time and rank you as a leader. People see it again and wonder if they need the product. When people are ready to buy, you come to the tops of their minds.
At least that's the main theory of advertising for the past 200 years! Savvy marketers from 100 years ago say that 21 repetitions are needed to make the indelible impression.
Imagine seeing the following message in a banner on your favorite car-resource site:
Volvo means safety. Volvo means safety. Volvo means safety.
You see this banner message so often, it writes an indelible mark on your brain.
Then, one day, you are in a car accident and the car is totaled. Fortunately, you can walk away. You receive your insurance settlement and head down to the car dealer. Now's your chance to buy that cool BMW Z-3! But as you pass showrooms of car dealers that always seem to be built on the same stretch of highway, you see Volvo's sign and think, "Volvo means safety."
Do I want to be cool, or do I want to be safe?
Branding takes effect!
Pavlov wins!
The reinventing of banners is not a bunch of hooey.
The Wall Street Journal quoted a Gatorade spokesperson as saying that banners helped increase brand awareness by 5 percent. And there was 16 percent recognition of its new tagline and the company.
Should your company invest in banners for branding?
Of course.
But be sure you buy banners on sites that target your intended customer. Another tactic is to place banners on your own website as a way of making your key messages stand out. Whichever you choose, be sure your banner displays the image you want and a message that is clear, concise and memorable.
That's a strategy that clicks!"