Advertising on the information superhighway : a commercial big bang or a melt down? : an audience perspective.

Abstract

This study discusses how the Internet is utilized as a commercial tool. The research explores advertising on the Internet from three perspectives, namely the advertising agency, the company owning the product or service and the Web user. The origins, advantages and disadvantages of Internet advertising, together with the future potential of the medium are examined. The main empirical focus is the consumer and his or her relationship with this marketing tool. The task is to identify the perceptions and opinions of how Maltese Internet users respond to banner advertising within the realm of the World Wide Web. Issues such as awareness, click-through on adverts and purchasing behaviour patterns are examined. It is an inclusive study, and both Maltese and international Web advertising are featured. The dissertation concludes with the analysis of the data obtained from a quantitative research approach, generated by executing a survey over the Internet amongst Maltese Internet users.