The purpose of internet advertising is far deeper than just generating traffic to your web site; it is an important part of building your brand. Your main branding goal is to get your name, company or service on the tip of everyone's tongue. Branding is considered one of the most important, though difficult, marketing objectives because it is often the tie-breaker for an unsure consumer. Every object, document or advertisement you display should help consumers associate your name with quality. If you demonstrate a clear, convincing brand image they are more likely to remember you and do business with you in the future. Banner ads are an excellent tool for obtaining site recognition and have been used for over a decade. The first banner ad was sold to AT&T on October 27, 1994. The banner size was 468x60 pixels, and it looked like this:

Not exactly a work of art, yet reminiscent of early banner ads that typically said, "click here". Once this ad appeared on HotWired, the site immediately sold ads to Sprint, MCI, Volvo, ZIMA and Club Med. Demand was brewing, and banner ads became the rage by 1997, as many a website sported the 468x60 pixel pennant across the top. What was amazing about this new form of advertising at the time is that advertisers could get an immediate and direct response. No waiting for phone calls or snail mail to get an order. People could click on an offer and go directly to the source, the advertiser's website.