First Commercial Banner Ad

HotWired, the online arm of Wired magazine, launched the first clickable banner ad for AT&T, marking the start of modern online advertising.

Significance

Demonstrated the commercial viability of the internet and established the foundational format for online advertising, sparking the need for AdTech.

Key facts

Date
1994-10-27
Type
invention
Location
HotWired.com, San Francisco, USA