Digital ads are in trouble.
Thanks to ever more popular ad-blocking software, a growing chunk of digital ads are never seen by their intended audience. According to the New York Times, 170,000 people a day are downloading Adblock, one of the most popular ad-zapping software products out there.
In fact, more than one in five Internet users employs some type of ad-blocking software, according to a recent report by PageFair.
And the newest threat to the digital marketer? An innocuous-looking little white box from Bluepoint that strips ads out of all the content delivered via Wi-Fi to any device–including smartphones and tablets. In essence, consumers will see only the editorial content.
Over the past several years marketers have fallen in love with digital content thanks in large part to its flexibility in accepting advertising in so many interruptive and integrative ways. The fire hose of information has become almost unbearable, and many users are just turning it off. Or at least they are turning it down to a trickle by allowing only select advertisers to invade their digital space.
So where does this leave print?
More desirable than ever, according to BoSacks:
“…there is one place left that cannot be blocked by [ad blockers], or any other electronic security system. The completely non-stoppable ad delivering vehicle is called a printed magazine. It reigns totally supreme by its unique set of features that prevent any and all ad blockage. Will wonders never cease?”
Looks like digital marketing is coming up full of holes.