Effective Online Ads: The Role of Placement and Animation

Abstract

Online advertising has experienced an unparalleled growth over the last decade. Yet, despite the increased spending on this form of advertising, there is a lack of understanding of what makes an online ad effective. This study helps to fill in this gap. Specifically, in an experimental study, we examine the effects of ad placement and animation on ad content recall and recognition, as well as customers’ attitudes towards the ad, brand, website and their purchase intention. The results reveal significant effects of ad placement on recall and recognition and two of the attitudes. Surprisingly, animation had no effects on attitudes, and only modest and inconsistent effects on ad content recall and recognition