Cho,CH . "Why do People avoid Advertising on the Internet?" Journal of advertising [0091-3367] 33.4 (2004). 89-97.

   In this study, the researchers theorize that internet users avoid advertisements because of “perceived goal impediment, perceived ad clutter, and prior negative experience.” They hypothesize a positive relationship between each of these variables and advertisement avoidance; for example, the greater the perceived ad clutter, the greater the advertisement avoidance on the internet. An online survey was used to collect data which suggested that people avoid messages because of perceived ad clutter; many consumers “choose not to click on ads because of an aversion to the amount of ads on the internet.” Clutter can be seen as anything which “impairs efficient interactivities, such as placement, timing, and size of ads.” The data also showed that prior negative experience as well as perceived goal impediment on the internet acted as a deterrent.
    This research builds upen previous studies of behavioral and cognitive ad avoidance by adding affective ad avoidance. An example of a measurement of affective avoidance would be an survey item saying, “I hate banner ads” (Appendix); i.e. a consumer’s emotional reaction. Delving into the world of consumers’ train of thought is able to provide a richer insight to my topic. One of the interesting things in this study is that while the results all point to how and why advertisements on the internet are ineffective, Cho and Cheon be sure to discuss how advertisers can use this data to their advantage, effectively remodeling their advertisements. For example, to reduce perceived goal impediment which was found to be the most significant factor affecting avoidance, internet advertisers might “utilize text-links displayed with keyword search results.”