Akademik

n.

An advertisement that runs vertically down the side of a Web page.

"The site is also selling the popular, new skyscraper ad unit, which runs vertically down the right-hand of some interior pages."

— "Breaking News," Advertising Age, May 14, 2001

"The biggest is the failure of the banner itself. Publishers are finally experimenting with new ad formats. These are already visible at sites such as Forbes.com, which frequently employs what is referred to as the tower or skyscraper ad."

— John C. Dvorak, "State of the Banner," Forbes, December 25, 2000

The skyscraper ad is a symptom of a larger trend that has seen companies moving away from traditional banner ads, the ads normally seen running across the top of a Web page (and usually pumping out some absurdly annoying animation). This trend has been called beyond the banner (thanks to subscriber Richard Carvell for the heads up):

"Additionally, through the Flowgo.com property, advertisers have access to powerful beyond the banner mechanisms, including opt-ins, newsletters, and pre-loaders, to effectively target their audience and reach consumers who are looking to be diverted and entertained, and thus are more open to advertising."

— PR Newswire, June 5, 2001