Advertising, particularly that of the interruptive variety, is often deemed to be annoying, but according to Clickz.com'sJeremy Lockhorn, this does not have to be the case.
Interruptive advertising has led to the creation of technology which lets users opt out of viewing such adverts. This includes the ability to record programmes using Tivo and watch them when you choose, or ad-free radio on the web.
Since this is the case, it is vital that businesses target their advertising to those who will have an interest in their products or services and will therefore not view the content as irritating, but instead as informative.
Lockhorn points to Howard Gossage, who argues that if someone sees an advert for something that interests them, it ceases to be advertising.
He said: "I play guitar and am passionate about music. I follow certain guitar heroes and discuss techniques with my buddies. I'm a big fan of home recording gear and am obsessed with how cool things like Pro Tools and Logic Pro are.
"To me, most of the ads in the music magazines I read aren't ads at all. They're stuff I want to read and learn more about."
Online businesses can use this concept to target their advertising at those who will see it more as information than as a method of selling a product.
Jeremy Lockhorn is director of emerging media and video innovation at Avenue A|Razorfish.
