Pop-ups and banner ads, having long been the bane of the browser, are now being recognized as necessary evils to our digital lives. Advertisers note that consumers are getting increasingly aware of the value of exchange, trading their time and attention on advertisements in return for free access to media, entertainment, products or services.

However, with actual CTR (click-through rates) of between 2-5% for the brands thus advertised being considered highly impactful, advertisers are trying out myriad means in order to increase that attention and ROI. In an increasingly saturated digital terrain, brands must constantly innovate to engage consumers effectively. And new formats of ads, in particular interactive ads seem to be clicking.

Several reports have shown higher engagement rates for interactive banners, pop-ups or other attention-grabbing formats which compel the audience to pause while scrolling through their feeds. In modern marketing, shock and awe are the most easily available tricks that are being passed around as marketing strategy.

According to Anmol Dang, Senior Director, Media, FCB/SIX India, when it comes to browsing experiences, roadblocks, pop-up ads, or banner ads, if not executed correctly, can prove to be infuriating and even irritating to users, leading them to develop a negative perception of this advertising format.

“However, brands that have embraced interactivity and added personalisation while keeping simplicity in mind have witnessed significantly higher engagement and acceptance rates. Interactive ads across various mediums, including social media, serve as a valuable tool for brands to understand user preferences and behaviours,” he says, adding that these interactive ads then provide insights into the specific aspects of an ad that users engage with, enabling dynamic generation of personalised landing pages on websites at scale which specifically cater to the user’s expectation.

Keerthi R Kumar, Business Head-South, FoxyMoron (Zoo Media), says brands must be careful to create interactive ads that are meaningful and valuable to consumers, rather than just novel or gimmicky.

“The ones that have stopped working or have become irritating due to the sheer volume are also because they lack clear messaging or have no engaging characteristics and are just takeovers with no apt CTAs. In terms of effectiveness, various studies have shown that interactive/pop-up ads can lead to higher engagement rates, better brand recognition, and improved sales,” he says.

However, it's important to note that the success of these ads can depend on various factors, including the quality of the interactive content, the alignment of the ad with the brand's message, and the overall user experience, say observers.

Rishab Mehra, Co-founder of Growify Digital says one highly effective strategy is personalization, which involves tailoring content and messaging to individual users based on their unique preferences, behaviours, and demographics. “By leveraging data-driven insights, brands can create personalized experiences that resonate on a deeper level, forging a stronger and more meaningful connection with their consumers,” he says.

Another strategy that has proven successful is gamification, incorporating game-like elements such as challenges, incentives, or leaderboards into the customer experience. By providing a fun and interactive environment, brands can encourage customers to engage with their products or services more frequently, thus increasing customer commitment and loyalty.

Mehra says, “At Growify, one of the popular gamification features utilized is the "spin the wheel" concept, which generates excitement and encourages customers to participate in contests for the chance to win rewards.”

Additionally, on social media platforms like Instagram, interactive features such as polls, question-and-answer stickers, sliders, and emoticons are used to create engaging and captivating experiences for followers.

Manish Solanki, COO and co-founder, TheSmallBigIdea, agrees that brands are exploring new strategies beyond traditional pop-up and banner ads. He says that incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into interactive creatives will be a promising approach for the future.

“By offering unique experiences, compelling content, and valuable offers, brands can provide consumers with added value. The key lies in storytelling and incorporating surprise elements to captivate consumers’ attention,” he says.

Marketers say that nurturing reliability and loyalty are no longer just checkboxes, but long-term communication goals. These aspects become even more important, especially when consumers are constantly flooded with messages.

The effectiveness of interactive/reactive ads depends on their ability to capture users’ attention and deliver engaging experiences. Brands must implement these ads strategically and continuously test and refine their approaches to succeed in the evolving digital landscape.

Aashutosh Katre, Director, Yellow Seed, says quoting a survey that 43% of marketers list personalization as a top reason for investing in hybrid experiences. “No prizes for guessing why! Audiences love to relate to the identity and persona of the brand and enjoy discovering bits of themselves in the humanized perception or visual of the brand that they have formed. Interactive advertisements are finding great acceptance and have become the buzzword among marketers.”

“However, we must keep in mind that short-term fixes are aligned with our long-term objectives to make the most of marketing campaigns. If the vision is aligned, I don’t see much harm going for it. But there should be a balance. Overdoing anything can harm the brand,” says Sidharth Singh, Co-Founder, CupShup.

“Too much of a reactive ad might insulate the audience towards an offering as they are mainly looking for the shock value and engage with the same and move on. Secondly, it could also turn out to be a double-edge sword as the customer can get addicted to gratification at the end of reactive ads and when rainy days of your business arrive, the addicted customer can get disappointed if they do not get what they desired,” he adds.

Dang believes this evolving ecosystem presents a unique opportunity for brands to prioritise customer-centric approaches. That being said, “While we have observed notable adaptations in recent times, there is still a long way to go for brands to truly excel in becoming more customer-centric.”