I was driving out of La Costa Resort today when I noticed this Limo parked right outside of the resort.  The resort is one of the most famous in Southern California and receives a constant stream of visitors to and from the San Diego Airport.  I thought it to be a brilliant marketing tactic if used infrequently (no one wants the car parked there permanently). 

That got me thinking about online advertising and how this could translate in cyber space.  No one hates in your face advertising as much as I do but if done in long in-between intervals I can see a real opportunity. 

For example, let’s say you’re a regular visitor to the Wall Street Journal.  I typically read the personal technology articles to get caught up on all of the latest digital devices being introduced.  When I enter or leave the page I wouldn’t mind the occasional flash advertisement for buying one of the devices I just read about.

On the other hand, Forbes who constantly hits me with an advertisement prior to reading an article annoys me.  Contextual advertising is not new, but how and when it’s positioned is a science that marketers should examine. 

Bottom line, if I am surprised by the advertisement and it’s contextual and relevant, I’ll look at it.  Surprise me though and don’t let me expect the ad or I’ll ignore it. 

Do you agree?