Optimal Banner Advertising on the Web

In today's, February 9, 2009 New York Times, Richard Perez-Pena writes a very interesting article about how the Times hopes to survive the recession. Towards the end of the article the issue of how to generate revenue via advertising on the web comes up and Kelly Twohig is quoted, "we have a glut of unsold" space on webpages and "It's about understanding, really, the efficacy of ads..."

Interestingly, and, coincidentally, a team of three female researchers: Dr. Lili Hai, Dr. Lan Zhano, and Dr. Anna Nagurney, with backgrounds, respectively, in computer science, applied mathematics and operations research / management science, have completed a report on how to exploit statistical techniques and optimization in order to design optimal web banners for advertising purposes. Our article develops a rigorous methodology as to how data can be gathered and then exploited so that optimal ads are designed on webpages. Needless to say, the timing of this research report is exciting and, who knows, perhaps the New York Times can make use of it!

I/we can't imagine a world without the New York Times!