Go to the popular search engine Yahoo! (www.yahoo.co.uk). Type in the search terms "travel", and then "holiday" and then "flights". On each occasion you will get a list of websites relevant to the search term that you have typed. But also look at the banner adverts along the top and sides of the screen. Did you notice that by the time you had carried out the third search, the banner ads were mainly for holiday related services?

Now close Yahoo and clear all of the cookies from your browser (If you are using Internet Explorer, go to Tools/ Internet Options, then Delete Cookies). Reopen Yahoo, and this time search for "furniture", "sofas" and "chairs". Repeat with similar furniture related terms. Watch what happens to the banner ads that appear on your screen. Cookies have learned of your interest in furniture and presented you with ads that might be of interest to you.

Questions

1. How useful are cookie-driven banner ads of this type for targeting messages at an audience?

2. Are there particular products for which banner adverts are especially suitable? Are there any types of products for which they are particularly unsuitable?

3. Suggest methods by which a furniture company could use the internet to more precisely direct messages at its target market.