The psychology of banner ads

According to research that appears in June's Journal of Consumer Research repeated exposure to a product via banner ads generates a positive feeling towards that product. The good news for consumers is that a critical reevaluation of the product can make these positive feelings vanish.

A quick test was made: how many of you can name the product being advertised in the banner ad at the top of the page?

Psychologists conclude that banner ads may provide a valuable function in fostering familiarity even if those that view them never click through to the source of the ads. The downside for advertisers is that any evaluation of the positive impressions that this familiarity creates, even one based on false premises, is enough to make those positive feelings vanish. This suggests that familiarity-based advertising may work best for impulse buys, where more detailed evaluations aren't likely to occur. More importantly, this gives us a glimpse into the way our unconscious works with visual stimuli.