If you think you’ve seen it all – talking banners, moving towers, flying birds – get ready for this one. The Wall Street Journal Online at
WSJ.com today introduced a new
option for advertisers called the Brand Launch Unit.
Compared to flying lemons or moving Ford trucks or – my personal favorite - EyeBlasters, this may not be
the sexiest online ad format, but I thought it was worth a mention anyway.
Available exclusively to premier Online Journal advertisers that make a significant annual commitment to the Online
Journal, this new advertising format “launches” marketers’ online ads upward covering the top right hand corner of the Online Journal’s front-page. When users first visit the site, the ad expands and
then slides back into its normal ad position.
The Online Journal has a sizable track record of offering advertisers strategic opportunities. They pioneered demographically targeted advertising in
the late ‘90’s and more recently incorporated video advertising that provides marketers with better cross-media messaging opportunities. The Brand Launch Unit is the newest addition to the media kit.
Naturally, the pitch here is that the movement of the ad, combined with its “valuable placement on the Online Journal’s front-page, creates exceptional brand impact for marketers.” Unfortunately,
when I went to the site to check out the new ad, I couldn’t find it. Why? Because a pop-up covered the right side of the page before the BLU had a chance to load. But that’s a touchy topic for another
time.