CHAPTER 8· INTERACTIVE MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
consumers, the Internet was felt to have a will of its own, in the form of the creators of the sites (the
ghosts in the machine). A snake traps you and then tightens its grip. A fox is mischievous.
In comparison with other media, the Internet was described as follows:The Internet seemed less like a medium of communication than the others, and more like a reservoir of
information.This distinction was based on differences in the mode of operating: other media communicated to you
whereas with the Internet the user had to actively seek and extract information for themselves. In this
sense, the Internet is a recessive medium that sits waiting to be interrogated, whereas other media are
actively trying to target their communications to the consumer.
This meant that these users (who were not addicted or high Internet users) were usually task-
orientated and focused on manipulating their way around (tunnel vision). The more inexperienced you
were, the more concentration was needed, but irritation or frustration was never far away for most people.
Everywhere, regardless of experience and availability, the Internet was seen as a huge resource, with
futuristic values, that indicated the way the world was going to be. It was respected for its convenience
and usefulness. Through the Internet you could learn, solve problems, achieve goals, travel the world
without leaving your desk, and enter otherwise inaccessible spaces. It gave choice and control, but also
feelings of isolation and inadequacy. There was an onus on people wherever possible to experience this
medium and use it for learning and communicating.
The most positive attitudes were in North America. Slick and well-structured web sites made a posi-
tive impression and were a valuable means of securing information through the links to other sites and to
carry out e-commerce. However, even here there was frustration at slow downloading and some unco-
operative sites. In other countries, there was concern at the irresponsibility of the medium, lack of
seriousness and dependability. There was desire for supervisory and controlling bodies (which are
common for print and TV). Banner ads were resented as contributing to the distractions and irritations.
Sometimes they seemed deliberately hostile by distracting you and then getting you lost. Internet adver-
tising had the lowest respect and status, being regarded as peripheral and trivial.
In the least economically advanced countries, the Internet was considered a divisive medium which
excluded those without the resources, expertise or special knowledge.
Table 8.2 and Figure 8.4 present the final evaluation of the Internet against other media.Table 8.2Comparison of the properties of different mediaTV Outdoor Print Internet
Intrusiveness High High Low Low
Control/selectivity Passive Passive Active, selective Active, selective
of consumption
Episode Long Short Long Restless,
attention span fragmented
Active processing Low Low High High
Mood Relaxed, seeking Bored, under- Relaxed, seeking Goal-orientated
emotional gratification stimulated interest, stimulation Needs-related
Modality Audio/visual Visual Visual Visual (auditory
increasing)
Processing Episodic, superficial Episodic/semantic Semantic, deep Semantic, deep
Context As individual in Solitary (in public Individual Alone, private
interpersonal setting space) Personal
Source: Branthwaite et al. (2000)