2013 was a big year for ads online, but especially on your phone. Instagram and Tumblr got on board with mobile ads while Facebook and Twitter worked rigorously to perfect their sponsored posts and content for your perma-scrolling thumbs. Snapchat is starting to see an influx of spam and the brands are beginning to pile in. TV shows got on Tinder and brands everywhere are working feverishly to slide their way into your favorite apps. The content marketing firm Percolate has been keeping tabs on this and cobbled together a pretty compelling look at what ads look like online in 2014.
The takeaway? After years of trying to figure out the mobile ad aesthetic, it appears a pattern is emerging and it looks...exactly like all of your apps.
But, try as we may, one inexorable truth remains:
SOME ADS YOU CAN'T KILL.
