As we begin 2002, we look back on some of the changes in our industry that took place during the previous year. Without question, there has been a "coming of age" in online advertising, both in terms of new technologies, creative focus, and the general acceptance of the Internet as a viable medium.

To help us with our review of 2001, we spoke with one of the experts: Peter Rivera, the executive creative director at Modem Media, an interactive agency with a client roster that boasts companies such as GE, IBM, Michelin, Kraft Foods, and General Motors. What follows are his insights on some of the things we—as an industry—did last year, and his outlook for what's next.

Is Bigger Better?
According to a recent series of studies sponsored by MSN and Doubleclick, the new IAB-standard ad formats were three to six times more effective than smaller ads in producing brand awareness. But is bigger necessarily better? "There's a lot of attention given to formats and sizes," says Rivera. "Obviously, size is a critical factor in getting a message out in front of somebody, but that's only half the battle. Ads that deliver rich, compelling brand experiences will ultimately differentiate themselves as most effective."

"I'd like to see advertisers use the new (larger, IAB-standard) ad spaces to create interactions with brands, as opposed to simply pumping out billboard messages," he added.

Relevance and Interaction
Rivera believes that the most successful campaigns last year stayed focused on brand interaction and relevant, contextual placement. "We all need to get much better at putting the right message out there when people are most receptive to it. Everyone says 'We hate ads,' but when you see an ad you like or need at the right time, you totally forget that. And connected to that thought, it's important that we also get smarter about what our audiences want from the Web, that we understand how they use it, and then deliver advertising experiences that map directly to those needs. These are basic staples that we've got to remind ourselves of over and over again."

Were Web Sites Too Conservative?
Content publishers often took different views on how to handle advertising on their sites last year. "Some Web sites hadn't awakened to the economic downturn. User experience concerns (the chief complaint regarding new forms of advertising online) are only important while the Web site is still in business. Economics has to be a part of the process," said Rivera, who believes that if publishers are too conservative, then the entire industry suffers.

"I do, however, agree with respecting the audience and why they are there, so we must find a balance in how far our executions go to capture attention," he noted.

Success Stories
Rivera listed some of his favorite programs from 2001, such as the A.I. (Artificial Intelligence movie) campaign, because they created compelling, dramatic experiences around a brand in a relatively low-bandwidth way. "The idea of creating a continuous experience where smaller parts (e-mail, banners, sitelets) add up to a whole is what makes this approach compelling," he stated. "It also ties into the idea of creating an interactive relationship, rather than just flashing messages. That's how you can tell when someone's really thinking outside the box."

He also gave vodka maker Absolut high marks. "I recently saw a holiday ad where the user was able to print wrapping paper directly from one of their banners. It put a smile on my face. When an ad puts a smile on your face and helps you accomplish something, it really gives you hope for the entire medium. I think Absolut did some of the most cutting edge work on the Web."

A Pet Peeve
If there were one thing that held back the development of brilliant ads, what would it be? Rivera believes that the relative slowness of the Web experience for the vast majority of consumers was a negative factor. "Like most other creative directors, I'd love to see more adoption of broadband so we can push the experiences further."

Issuing the Challenge
Finally, what good is a year-in-review article without a glimpse into the future? Rivera issued a challenge to his colleagues for the coming year: to respect your audience and why they're online. "People go online to get things done," he said. "Agencies and clients need to think about the total customer experience. Ask: 'What is somebody thinking before they see your ad?' And 'What do they think of the brand after they've interacted with it?' That kind of strategic thinking is what's going to drive true innovation going forward."

Your Forum
Whether you work at an advertising agency or not, we'd like to provide a forum. If you'd like to be featured in one of our issues, please let us know: tony.fox@cnet.com.

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