Recently came across an In-App advertisement from Intel while reading an article on the BBC news app.
This advertisement is notable as it overcame many obstacles and achieved at least one of its (presumed) objectives: awareness. Intel successfully got me to stop, engage and become aware.
Here’s how they succeeded.
For the most part I’m aware that ads are being served to me on news apps but like most people, remain oblivious to them both from a subconscious banner blindness perspective as well as consciously avoiding looking at them.
However this ad defeated my defenses both mental and physical; it more than caught my eye, in fact it grabbed my thumb.
As I read the article and swiped down the page, my thumb reached down and swiped only to have the page lay motionless. Thinking there was something wrong I glanced down to see a semi-animated, three dimensional advertisement that did not respond to my up or down swipe. To date I can’t recall any other In-App advertisement that that does not respond to up/down swipes.
A moment later the advertisement displayed an UX design pattern know as progressive disclosure and in particular a technique called instructional overlay
My curiosity piqued by the overlay, I gave the advertisement a swipe to the left, which spun a three dimensional cube with Intel messaging on each side. Hate to say it but I enjoyed spinning the cube around and I am not one to fall prey to such tactics, at least not up until now.
While I did not click through on the ad, I did engage with it and became aware of Intel’s offering.
Mission accomplished Intel advertising team, congratulations.
Questions do remain.
The next time my swipe does not move a page, will I just become agitated because the novelty is gone? Will this agitation be focused on the advertiser, creating negative brand impressions or will banner blindness kick in masking the advertiser to my conscious mind?
Only time plus solid test and learn programs will tell.