Banner ads turn ten years old. They've evolved, become flashy, carry sound, blink worse than the blink tag ever did and given birth to far more discreet things called TextAds.
So what did the first banner look like? Appropriately enough it was a future-predicting ad from AT&T in their "you will" campaign from 1994, according to the website that collects old banners and celebrates the tenth anniversary 10jahreonlinewerbung.
Otto gives more info about this banner in the comments;
For the record: the "Have you ever clicked your mouse right HERE?" ad was created for Modem Media/AT&T by TANGENT Design/Communications of Westport, CT.
Principal Creators:
Copy Writer: Joe McCambley, Creative Director, Modem Media
Graphic Design: Craig Kanarick, Associate, TANGENT Design (pre-razorfish)
Executive Producer & Art Director: Otto Timmons, VP, TANGENT Design
Contributors:
Brent Hood, CEO, TANGENT Design
Research Intern, Tangent Design (I will have to track his name down)
The Client, AT&T (a great guy and ditto on tracking the name down)
Although we had the most popular ad on Hotwired (according to Brian and Matt...) there were at least five or six other banner ads that launched at the same time and they too should get credit for being "first". I can remember Club Med, AT&T, ZIMA. Last but not least, O'Reilly's Global Network Navigator, GNN, started accepting paid advertising at the same time (one banner ad on the home page, as I recall).
Care to see the commercials that go with it? Robblink gathered them together - knock yourselves out.
(obvious: click on the images to view the films.)
AT&T – You Will/Market (1994) 0:30 (USA)
AT&T – You Will/Class (1994) 0:30 (USA)
AT&T – You Will/License (1994) 0:30 (USA)
AT&T – You Will/Toll (1993) 0:30 (USA)
AT&T – You Will/Movie (1993) 0:30 (USA)
AT&T – You Will/Door (1993) 0:30 (USA)
---- note!
Via boingboing: Wired News Editor Kourosh Karimkhany says, "BTW, the first site to run that ad (actually, to inspire AT&T to create those ads) was Hotwired. As it happens, today the ol' timers are getting together for the 10th anniversary of Hotwired."
Adland® is a commercial-laden heaven and hell for advertising addicts around the world.
This advertising publication was founded in 1996, built on beer and bravery, Adland® now boasts the largest super bowl commercials collection in the world.
Adland® survives on your donations alone. You can help us out by buying us a Ko-Fi. Adland® works best in Brave browser
Well Hullo there.. This post goint boingboinged, and from that post I found this extra tidbit of info:
Hotwited turns TEN! wow, time does fly when you are having fun. ;)
- reply
PermalinkThat banner is positively awful.
And those "You will" ads, man half that stuff isn't here yet. I want to have a phone on my wrist and check out the entire cart in one go! Get with it tech-people. C'mon AT&T where is all that stuff you promised? ;) More gadgets PLEASE!
- reply
PermalinkI attend meetings in my bare feet all the time. AT&T had nothing to do with it. :P
- reply
PermalinkEver had an assistant.. that lives in your computer? Sure but does ithave to look like a dog? I guess it could be worse, could be a smiley named BOB.
btw, I stopped by via Coudal.com and they say that the guy in "License" got a job writing for Larry Sanders. ... Who is that guy I don't recognize him at all. Anyone here know?
- reply
Permalinkpay a toll without slowing down - check, I do it all the time.
Attend meetings in your bare feet - check.
Have you ever put your heads together when you're not together? check, with webcams and 3g phones!
gotten a phone call on your wrist, no but I do gets calls to my tiny bluetooth eirpiece all the time.
checked out of a supermarket a shopping cart at a time - almost check, RFID could make this possible right?
and banner ads? waaaaaaay to real and everywhere these days. ;) That banner is good. Smack the monkey was awful.
- reply
PermalinkThe man in the 'license' comercial is Wallace Langham.
He played 'Josh' the asstant to Veronica on "Veronica's Closet" He now plays the part of a comedy writer on The Larry Sanders Show.
- reply
PermalinkI missed the anniversary!
Robblink, thanks for posting the 'You Will' TV commercials!
For the record: the "Have you ever clicked your mouse right HERE?" ad was created for Modem Media/AT&T by TANGENT Design/Communications of Westport, CT.
Principal Creators:
Copy Writer: Joe McCambley, Creative Director, Modem Media
Graphic Design: Craig Kanarick, Associate, TANGENT Design (pre-razorfish)
Executive Producer & Art Director: Otto Timmons, VP, TANGENT Design
Contributors:
Brent Hood, CEO, TANGENT Design
Research Intern, Tangent Design (I will have to track his name down)
The Client, AT&T (a great guy and ditto on tracking the name down)
Although we had the most popular ad on Hotwired (according to Brian and Matt...) there were at least five or six other banner ads that launched at the same time and they too should get credit for being "first". I can remember Club Med, AT&T, ZIMA. Last but not least, O'Reilly's Global Network Navigator, GNN, started accepting paid advertising at the same time (one banner ad on the home page, as I recall).
If anyone is interested in any of this I can dig up some more info, let me know.
Cheers,
Otto Timmons
- reply
PermalinkThats him! Now I see it! Thank you!
And thank you to ottowt below for additional credits. Very cool.
- reply
PermalinkInterested in giving proper cred! Always.
I've heard that Zima ran paralell as well from another (kinda vague) sources as well, wasn't sure, but the AT&T banner was confirmed several places. Thank you loads for the proper cred (and I'm always interested in more if you can find it.)
Happy anniversary. ;)
- reply
PermalinkIn just a couple of more years you can announce when the banner ad turns 20!
- reply
PermalinkThis really answered my problem, thank you!
- reply
Permalink