So, 24/7 Media laid off another 100 people (“24/7 Media to Lay Off Another 100, Close Offices,” April 17 online edition).
The Dec. 11 issue of DM News blamed “the softening Internet advertising market” for trouble at the agency. I couldn’t help notice the 24/7 Media full-page ad on page 25. It violated virtually every one of Dean Rieck’s “Secrets of Reader-Friendly Design,” which appeared in that same issue.
On two occasions during the past year I visited the 24/7 Media Web site to get information about renting opt-in e-mail lists. Each time I gave up because after rummaging around the hype I could find no list categories or rental rates.
Their reported goal is to “eliminate redundancies and achieve cost savings.” Let’s hope they also rule out big ads that violate basic direct response principles and a Web site that gets in the way of making a buying decision.
Scott Miller,Owner AdAnalysis.com, St. Louis, MO
