Target Marketing: Save Abandons: A New Use for the Pop-up

I know, pop-ups are going out of style, and fast! However, these ideas are could be transferred to eyeblaster or point-roll type ads as well. No, they aren't "new", but Target Marketing seems to think so.

Enter Time magazine's Web site, and a window pops open under the current window, with an offer that says, "Please try four issues of TIME…FREE!" and touts a hand-held organizer premium. The visitor doesn't see the offer until he closes the window he's in; this way, when the prospect exits Time.com or leaves the Web entirely, Time gets another opportunity to capture him.

TIME uses the pop-under to great effect, as do other publications, and I think it's the best that the popping ad vehicle can do. Even though it's less intrusive, it's still the cyber equivalent of litter - and kinda bad manners in my view. The ad message will have to be a well-crafted one (ie: charming, offering something of value) if it is to undo the potential (if mild) ill will of a user who likes to keep a neat desktop.