A Study On Pop-Up Advertisement To Create An

Impact On Website Advertising

Muhammad Nur Firdaus Bin Nasir

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Melaka, Malaysia

This research discusses one of the popular methods to advertise a product through online,
advertisement is one of the ways for the manufacturer to promote their product or services.
It can be divided to several groups with different media of advertisement. Internet has
open up a new way for advertiser taking part to advertise their client’s product or services.
But sometimes an online advertising can cause an uncomfortable feeling to the web user
while surfing the Internet. The most hated technique of online advertisement is Pop-ups
Advertisement. These Pop-ups comes with two types of approach. The first one Pop-ups
which appears in front of the web browser, while the second one appears at the back of
the web browser. By using survey research method, the data was collected from 100
respondents were randomly picked all around Klang Valley. The highest amount of Internet
user in Klang Valley was the reason why Klang Valley selected for this study. For this
purpose of study, a survey research is used in which the questionnaires were distributed,
besides interviews and observation as the sources of primary data. Besides primary data,
another reliable sources data is secondary data where collected through journal, book
reading and other sources

Keywords – Web Advertisement, Pop-Ups Ads, Pop-Ups Under Ads, Web Browser

Relevance to Design Practice – This research is to indicate on how the design can effect
website user, what is the big picture when it comes to clicking on the website
advertisement.
________________________________________________________________________

Introduction

The purpose of this research is to study on
popup advertisement, to figure out why
popup advertisement became the most
hated approach in online advertising.
According to Jakob Nielsen, he found that,
from his research involved by 605
respondents in 2005, almost 95 percent of
them gave an negative answer towards
design element for advertisement which is
pop-up in front of web user windows
(Jakob Nielsen, 2004). Besides that, this
research would come out with another
suggestion on new approach on
advertisement, which can be used to
attract target audience to click on it. The
pop-ups advertisement was not a good
idea to advertise a product or services to
the web user. The distraction to the eyeball
web surfer and the average the user shuts
the windows is within 2.5 second. It can be
worst, the research shows almost 60
percent of the web users mistrust with the
company which uses the product or
The purpose of existence pop-ups
advertisement is similar to banner
advertisement. It is a spread message from
manufacturer about the new product or
service available in the market to
consumer. However what caused pop-ups
advertisement becoming a poor
advertisement is because the approach of
the pop-ups advertisement itself, with the
various techniques to attract target
audience.
About 11.3 billion pop-up
advertisement was launched in the first
seven months since 2002 (Nielsen, 2008).
80 percent of pop-ups advertisement
comes from 60 advertisers. Pop-ups
advertisement is popular among
entertainment industry such as casino,
where it tries to attract its target audiences.
Meanwhile, second place of the
highest user of pop-up advertisement is
conquered by hardware and electronic
advertisement. Pop-ups advertisement was
categorized as Rich Media, as the usage of
Macromedia Flash and Macromedia
Shockwave. The use of rich media as
advertisement continued to grow with the
increase to 31.7 percent in the second
quarter of 2003 compared to the first
quarter of 2002 with 17.3 percent. The
creator of popup advertisement was a long
figure in the pornography industry, known
as Brian Shuster. Recently he received a
considered fast and the mission to get a
captive audience may fail and to make
situation even
services to advertise and even if the
company becomes a host for the pop-ups
advertisement (Tessa Wegert, 2004).
patent of popup advertisement. Besides
that he also have a long pending patent of
online advertisement include the latest of
popup where it come with audio that
cannot be turned off. According to Brian,
the most profitable Internet segment is
Online Casino and ‘Adult Entertainment’
revenue $9.25 billion in 2002 (Bob
Sullivan, 2009).
Research Method
Research methodology for this research
will began with pre-limitary research, the
researcher would go to the next stage
where the design of questionnaires will
start in order to get precise feedback from
respondent. After getting an input from the
questionnaire and interview from the figure
who working in the industries, the output
will transfer to the prototype that could be
an alternative to the advertiser to get the
message they bring could deliver to the
targeted audience.
Primary Data for this research
collected from two methods such as
questionnaire also known as survey
instrument and interview session, the
questionnaire divided to several groups
such as section a, section b and section c.
Each section has its own findings to
answer the aims and objectives of this
research
 Meanwhile for interview session, it is
done where the collected data successfully
gathered from the cooperation given by
person who has an experience in the
industry. This interview session had done
through the email because of the chaotic
work schedule faced by public figure who
working in the industry
Type of Research :
Quantitative
Method of Data Gathering :
Survey Questionnaire
Interview
Prototype Testing
Target Sample
- Pre-luminary – Random – 20 respondents
- Public People (15 - 40) – 100
respondents
Questionnaire
- Random Web User – 35 respondents
- Prototype Testing
Types of Pop-Up Advertisement
Pop-ups advertisement was created havoc
in the society because of the distraction it
creates to the web users while they surf
the web. Display over or underneath the
current web content while browsing,
Richard Adam (2003) said that :
“Pop-ups also known as advertisement which
comes with heavy criticism from the web uses,
it is because web user have to handle all the
extra windows while the purpose their visit the
website is to search something else. Because of
the irritating creates by pop-ups, it led the rise
of the software to block the pop-ups
advertisement”.
The pioneer of pop-ups advertisement
is Brian Shuster. He is long-time figure in
Internet pornography world. He does not
stop with pop-ups, after receiving a patent
for the pop-ups advertisement format. He
also creates another pop-ups
advertisement, but this time it comes with
audio and the worst is the audio from the
pop-ups cannot be turned off (Bob
Sullivan, 2009).
Some of companies still have higher
expectation that pop-ups and pop-unders
are effecting as advertisement, but other
disagree. Complaints from web user have
led some of the open-sources and other
website to block this kind of advertisement
forms. Meanwhile according to the
Transnational Studies (TNS) revealed that
93 percents of respondents said that pop-
ups advertisement annoying and very
annoying (George E. Belch & Micheal A.
Belch, 2007)
Pop-Up Advertisement
However, pop-ups advertisement (Figure
1) created along its own problem with its
intrusiveness. The way pop-ups appears in
the user’s face out from nowhere with new
web browser apart from the site. Even
though it has it is own frenzy, the click-
through rates for pop-ups advertisement is
higher than banner advertisement.
After the existence of pop-ups
advertisement whereby pop-ups
advertisement click-through rates reach up
to 15 percent compared to banner
advertisement that only got 3 percent. The
advertiser would choose popup
advertisement after saw the number of
click on pop-ups advertisement (New
architect, 2003).
Figure 1. Pop-Ups Advertising
Pop-Up Under Advertisement
The pop-up under (Figure2) is a bit
different compared to the pop-ups
advertisement, where it only shows up
behind the current web browser. The
advertisement can only be seen after the
main web browser closed by the web user
(smartcomputing.com, 2004). Pop-ups
advertisement have it own variations that
come with less intrusive approach.
Known as pop-ups under, the web
user can only view the ads after the main
browser is closed. Before pop-ups
advertisement make its debut, banner
advertisement was the most popular
revenue generator in early day of World
Wide Web (WWW), but somehow,
marketer started exploring and invent
advertisement which are more effective
from their point of view (Dale King, 2006).
Figure 2. Pop-Ups Under
Disadvantage of Pop-Up Advertisement
The purpose of pop-ups advertisement is
to attract potential consumer, and some of
the websites utilize pop-ups advertisement
by allowing web user to click on button
help for assistance. After the visitor clicks
on that button, they will teleport away from
that website. Many of companies design
popup with misleading button, they also
add unexpected action such as the visitor
wants to close the pop-ups advertisement,
where the action comes with the deluged
pop-ups advertisement (S.E Smith, 2008).
Pop-ups advertisement runs with
JavaScript, and a lot of web browsers try
their best to keep pop-ups advertisement
blocked. Some of the advertisers try to use
other script to circumvent this situation.
Pop-ups advertisement also spread
spyware where it is a common way of
spreading spyware is through downloading
peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sweeping products
such as games or applications. Some of
the applications hide spyware in their
system especially application that comes
with title ‘anti-spyware’ programs.
The worst part is when spyware is
flooding the system with pop-ups
advertisement where it occupied hard disk
and reduces the personal computer (PC)
performance (Vangie Beal, 2008).
Meanwhile according to Dell computer, it is
said that almost 12 percent received call to
their technical support comes from the
affect of spyware. It is a bigger category of
complaints (Kevin Zaney, 2004).Parija
Bhatnagar (2004) wrote that :

Figure 3. Prototype
“The main reason why the advertisers choose
pop-up and banner advertisement on the web is
This picture above (Figure 3) shows the
because online advertisement requires low cost
transformation on how this advertisement
capital. Besides, it can reach to all range of
change from one to another, the picture
consumers that come from different
show the rotation with direction from the
background”.
right to the left. This action would be the
same if the mouser rollover to the left
According to Williams, he just gives his cursor where the direction would be start
thought that pop-ups advertisement is not from the left to the right. The rotation that
right for the web user. He also added if the has been used in this advertisement is to
website overloads their visitor with pop-ups attract web users eyes ball in order to grab
advertisement, it would be the main reason their attention. It continuously rotate in
for web users to walk away from visiting order to grab web user attention while
the web for next surfing (Wharton’s surfing the Internet, it does not make any
William, 2003). distraction visual to the text that web user
That statement supported by David reading like popup and floating
J.Reibstein, he said the dangerous part advertisement
when web users get annoyed with pop-ups
advertisement. It would be the first and last
time they visit your website. He also added
to be careful and try to put fewer
advertisement in the website (David
J.Reibstein, 2003)

Prototype Online Advertisement

Figure 4. Prototype Button


I. This picture showed above (Figure 4)
the button on prototype without any action.
Function of this button is to give an option
to the web user scroll to the previous and
next advertisement.
II. Meanwhile this picture shows the
change of color button when the mouse
rollover the button. The color of button will
change, and it would turn to pervious color
once the mouse cursor roll off from the
button.
The Size Of Prototype
Design Strategy
First thing when comes to online
advertisement is to make sure web user
can capture the message of the product.
The size of the advertisement does matter,
easy for the web user read the text which
is readable. Web user clearly can observe
the image of the product.
Example
According to the study done by Norman H.
Nie and Lutz Erbrin (2000) web user will
spend their time surfing on the Internet was
5 hours, and the percentage is 49 percent.
Meanwhile 15 percent for the web user
who spend their time less than 5 hours,
and 36 percent of them spend more than 5
hours.
Key Question
How can online advertisement meet the
requirement to reach potential consumer
without they left the website once they
enter the link.
Challenges
The challenge here is to fulfill respondent
needs, each of them have their own ideas
and feedbacks which comes from different
level thinking and perspective
RESULTS
The objective of this survey is to analyze
either the prototype could really attract the
web user or respondent to click on it. This
prototype created through the survey done
by researcher on distribution of
questionnaire. The result from the
prototype would divide to four categories
which will be narrow down to the
respondent behavior what would they do or
their first impression when looking at the
prototype while surfing the Internet. The
target respondents are 50 but only 35 of
them willing to give their cooperation.
Figure 4
From the feedbacks (Figure 4) given from
the respondents, almost 26 respondents
(74 percent) said that the prototype
advertisement is really attractive.
Meanwhile another 9 respondents (25
percent) gave feedback saying that they
are not a fan of the prototype version.

Figure 5
From the feedback (Figure 5) collected
from the respondents, almost 23
respondents (66 percent) said they would
click on the online advertisement, but only
if they were interested in using or buying
the products or services. Meaning here,
they have purposes for responding to the
advertisement. Meanwhile the other 12
respondents (34 percent) give feedback
that they would not click on online
advertisement (prototype) because of they
are not looking for the products or services.
The respondents also claim that they have
a lot more to do while surfing the net. They
also stated that they do not have time to
spare in looking at the products or services
which advertised online.
Figure 6
From the feedback (Figure 6) which taken
from the respondents, almost 14
respondents (40 percent) said that they are
attracted to scroll on the online
advertisement because of the
advertisements itself is really attractive.
This will give them the enthusiasm to find
out what is the latest product or services
advertised on this online advertisement.
While another 21 respondents (60 percent)
said that they do not find the advertisement
attractive due to not having any attention in
using the products or services.
Respondents also give feedback saying
that it is good enough for the online
advertisement to scroll down by itself, as
the respondents do not have a time to look
into the advertisement. In addition, this
kind of approach will give the respondents
chances to look through the advertisement
even though they are not interested. Less
effort is needed.
Figure 7
From the feedback (Figure 7) taken from
the respondents, almost 7 respondents (20
percent) give positive feedback on their
trustworthiness towards the online
advertisement, the prototype. Meanwhile
another 28 respondents (80 percent) gave
negative feedbacks where most of them do
not trust the online advertisement
(prototype). The reason is because of they
came across with lots of prank
advertisements where some of the
advertisement may divert them to another
website which does not have any relation
with the advertisement they were on
before. The products or services can
sometime make the web users feel
suspicious towards their existence.
CONCLUSION
From the data collection it can conclude
that lot of Web users really hate the way on
how pop-ups advertisement appears on
the screen, either in front of the web
browser or at the back of web browser. The
conclusion from this studies include from
the most active web user, advertisement
with some elaboration related to the pop-
ups advertisement, and some additional
conclusion about convinced advertisement
and distraction advertisement and because
of those reason the online advertisement
should reform a new approach to catch the
potential consumer to their product or
services. From the comparative studies
done through pop-ups advertisement, pop-
ups under and prototype. Prototype is a
reliable advertisement compared to the
intrusive visual from pop-ups and appears
underneath web browser where the target
for potential consumers might not
accurately pointed.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I would like to grab this
opportunity to express my sincere and
deepest gratitude to my advisor Associate
Professor Dr Ruslan Bin Abd Rahim for his
guidance, encouragement, ideas, and
suggestions and also for his concern in the
preparation and completion of this
research.
Furthermore I would like to express
my gratitude to Mr Lihasrizad Ismail from
Darulmedia for allowing me to do an
interview in order to complete this research
and also to Mr Khairul Yusri Zamri from Art
Channel. Their cooperation really helped
me out while doing this research. Lots of
information was gained from them.
I would like to extend my special
thanks to all respondents in this study for
their willingness to spend their valuable
time, sincere cooperation and patience in
taking part to fill and answer all the
questionnaires. In addition, I would like to
thanks my family especially to my parents
Hj Nasir Nordin and Siti Zainab Abd Rafar
for their understanding and to all my family
member for their moral support. It really
helps me to complete my Postgraduate
studies.
I would like to thanks all my friends
and colleagues who had helped me out,
which contributing to the completion of this
study. Not forgotten, special thanks to all
the librarians of University Teknologi Mara,
Shah Alam, Raja Tun Uda Library, Shah
Alam and National Library, Kuala Lumpur
regarding their warmest cooperation by
giving me the chance to make further
research and references there.
Lastly, thank you very much once
again, to everyone who I had already
mentioned and to those who I might
accidently forgot to mention.
 10. Kevin Zaney (2004). Wells Fargo Urges
Bold Steps to Control Pop-Up Ads.
REFERENCES Retrieved September 20, 2009, from
http://www.americanbanker.com/btn/17_1
1. Jakob Nielsen (2004). The most Hated 0/-231379-1.html?zkPrintable=true.
Advertising Techniques Retrieved 11. Parija Bhatnagar (2004). Pop-up's Pop-
February 3, 2009, from Off
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20041206.h Point. Retrieved September 10, 2009,
tml from http://money.cnn.com/2004/04/07/
2. Tessa Wegert (2004). Beyond Pop-Ups technology/popups_study/index.htm
Retrieved January 12, 2009, from 12. David J.Reibstein (2003). Darn Those
http://www.clickz.com/3321031 Pop-Up Ads! They're Maddening, But Do
3. Bob Sullivan (2000).The prince or pop-up They Work? Knowledge@Wharton.
ads Retrieved September 9. 2009, from 13. Norman H.Nie and Lutz Erbrin (2000).
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3078633/ Internet and Society. A Preliminary
4. Richard Adam (2003). www.advertising. Report. SIQSS Advisory Board,
New York : Watson – Guptill Publishers InterSurvey Inc., and McKinsey & Co.
5. George E.Belch & Micheal A.Belch
(2007).Advertising and Promotion :
Integrated Marketing Communications
Perspective
6. Jennifer Kyrnin (2003) New Arhitect
(2003). Pop-Up ads - Pros and Cons -
Pop-Unders, Overlays, and Intrusive Ads.
Retrieved from http://webdesign.about.
com/od/advertising/i/aa021703a.htm
7. Dale King (2006). The Truth About
Pop-Ups. Retrieved from http://www.small
businessbrief.com/articles/marketing/0068
87.html
8. S.E Smith (2008). What is a Popup?
Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.
com/what-is-a-popup.htm
9. Vangle Beal (2008). How To Deal With
Pop-Ups. Retrieved from http://www.webo
pedia.com/DidYou Know/ Internet/2008/