The INTERNET everyday attracts more users and is being established as the new communication and information source that addresses the ever increasing technological needs of people.

With nearly 300 million users worldwide and with breathtaking growth levels that estimate the INTERNET users in the year 2010 approaching 600 million people, and with its range not under the restrictions of distribution channels or and radio waves, it is obvious that it represents the only viable field of commercial utilisation for companies in the fields of advertising and product promotion.

The spreading of the INTERNET in the last years has overtaken even the most optimistic expectations. Even a person like Bill Gates who is the founder of Microsoft and a known pioneer, was saying just a few years ago that he would 
consider somebody not serious if they said that most of the advertisements in TV would mention a URL (that verify the presence of the firm in the Internet). Despite all that, today more than 80% of the Fortune 500 companies have a 
presence in the INTERNET, and 60% of the homes have access to the INTERNET. 

In Greece the INTERNET users are estimated at 300000 and sites all over the world receive thousands of INTERNET visitors, which means that advertising in an Electronic Medium like INTERNET can address much larger audiences than 
those of a magazine with medium circulation.
Very encouraging are the signs of INTERNET penetration in Greece, which surfaced from the recent market research analysis carried out by the firm GfK Market Analysis. This research was carried out to establish levels of usage of INTERNET in Athens, Thesalloniki and other urban areas of Greece.
Specifically, INTERNET penetration has increased, and for the time period July-November 2003 penetration has reached 28%, against 26% that was during March 2003. The research was carried out with telephone interviews, with a representative pangreek sample of 1250 people between the ages of 18 and 64.
According to the published results the profile of the average Greek INTERNET user is:
  • Men (35%), aged 18-24 (50%), of higher education (50%), and of the high economic/social level (53%) living in Thesalloniki (42%) and Athens (38%).

  • As far as INTERNET connection is concerned, 59% of the users has home connection, 30% connect through their work, and Internet Cafes and Universities follow with 5% and 7% respectively. Only 2% surf using friends' houses.
What are the reasons that people want to surf on the INTERNET ?

The great majority of the respondents (86%) stated that the main reason is information availability and the abundance of information that anybody can track on any subject. This is closely followed by entertainment (40%) and by the usage of Electronic Mail services (Email) (34%).
It is obvious that advertising can not ignore this new media and that the new media needs the advertising revenues in order to improve and extend its services. The available technological means enlarge the possibilities of the automated two-way communication in marketing and in advertising (interactive advertising).

The INTERNET is made for two-way interactive communications that promises to be as clever, precise and persuasive as the human contact.

Dare........

With the help and guidance of