BEGGARS BELIEF
“ WE turn down literally millions of pounds every single year by refusing formats that ruin the reader experience,” boasted the
Guardian
’s director of advertising James Fleetham in research his title unveiled to its marketers at the start of this month.
Fleetham was scathing about “ad stuffing” by rivals, who use “annoying formats that interrupt and frustrate people” (he’s looking at you, Reach), and said the Guardian was a cut above. But readers may disagree. Over the past year, the begging messages on the Guardian website asking for any spare change have become increasingly intrusive and now cover entire stories that visitors are trying to read.