And you thought pop-up ads were annoying? Here come the web commercials.

Commercials on the web? You betcha.

"While viewing a content page, a streaming video commercial is downloaded in the background to the user's computer. Once the user exits the page (by clicking on any link on the page, manually inputting a URL, or clicking on a 'favourite'), the video clip is launched immediately and displayed in the same browser window, while the requested next page is being downloaded. Once the requested page is downloaded, the commercial is automatically removed and the requested page is displayed.

The web experience is similar to watching television, where periods of content viewing are interrupted by short video commercial breaks. With the proliferation of "pop up zappers", advertisers are asking for advertising solutions that assure that the advertisement is "in-the-user's-face" without blocking content and which can't be shut off. The joint Clipstream(TM) / COMMFLASH solution is just such a solution, which is not launched in a pop-up / pop-under window, and is thus not affected by pop-zappers. "

There are a few questions you have to ask about this new technology. Will it be used effectively? Have web marketers learned from past experience? Will it end up annoying internet users more than being an effective new way of trapping viewers?

I think, from an advertising point of view, there could be some very cool things done with this. But being a web user, I see the down side. It will be interesting to see if this can not go the way of the pop-up ad.

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caffeinegoddess's picture

"Advertising is supposed to be the art of persuasion, not the act of pissing people off."
That's such a great quote :-)

Dabitch's picture

Modem surfers will love this! Those who per bandwidth use too! natch.

tlevitz's picture

Ha! Streaming video with my connection? I dare them, just dare them.

Seriously, this has gone too far. I'll tolerate a nice banner with minimal animation (would the master of my local newspaper's site please take note? The ads' viva Las Vegas look is seizure inducing, not attention getting). I may even click on it.

But jeezus, the pop-ups are a disaster and pop-up zappers bring to mind the revenue producing tactics of the phone company: we'll sell your number to telemarketers then we'll sell you a service to block their calls.

Could sommercials on the web be yet another way to piss people off enough to buy new forms of zappers no doubt being secretly developed by the same folks bringing you this new form of advertising?

AnonymousCoward's picture

i have to laugh at the company's claim that the technology can't be stopped. the good ad blocking software will recognize the content and just not download it.

then again, i have to turn off my ad blocker to view this site. it thinks the ads here are well, ads. and doesn't display it. small price to pay. i can't remember the last time i saw a pop-up/pop-under or other such annoyance.

Dabitch's picture

really? ad-blockers block this site? *laughs really hard* Oh man that's funny!

anonymous's picture

My ISP charges me money for every kilobyte I download...

Should I send the bill to the advertisers?

Dabitch's picture

Yes!

That might make them stop. Or rather thats precisly why this idea SUCKS BIGTIME.

sorry, got all exited there..