It's no secret that at one in 1,000, the average click-through rate for banner ad is rather pitiful. Think of other things with similar probabilities. For instance, over the course of your life, you have a one in 3,000 chance of getting struck by lightning.
Despite the challenging odds, a few intrepid ad executives still see banners as promising terrain. The fact that display ads are often seen as a backwater controlled by direct-response marketers doesn't daunt such modern day Mad Men, who think they can redefine the medium and, yes, even get readers to click.
The 10 examples below show that banners need not be boring.