Return of the Pop-Up, Now With Video

Here’s a curious article about websites testing out the new "D30" ads – essentially 10 second commercials which sit on top of the website and then morph into a banner. (A few months ago they were being touted as 30 second commercials, but it’s possible that didn’t work.)

The argument kind of makes sense: "The moves are necessary because the ad system on the Web, as it is
currently structured, does not work for content sites. Outside of
high-touch integrations, those sites have seen the vast majority of
their inventory thrown in the remnant bin where it is picked apart
by ad networks for pennies."

On the other hand, you’re looking at making what previously was a convenient medium (reading computer screens) an inconvenient medium. Kind of reminds me of the old "A mistake on your part doesn’t constitute an emergency on my mine." Or in this case, "Why should I be inconvenienced because your business model is flawed?"

Moreover, the article says this is kind of the online version of TV, and just as my Tivo remote has a fast-forward button, I personally wouldn’t object to this so long as that handy dandy little X is in the upper left. However, Dan Blank simply believes that intrusion media doesn’t have a fit in the B-to-B space and I tend to think a guy could go broke pretty quick doing something Dan wouldn’t do.

Regardless what we think, if YOU think the D30′s a way to rock the Nxtbook, less us know. We’ve already had publishers do similar video insertions.