The Oxford-based consultancy's in-depth usability tests amongst a range of web users found that pop-up advertising was the single biggest turn-off amongst users, with every subject expressing irritation and frustration when pop-ups appeared.
More alarmingly, 60% of those tested said that pop-ups even led to mistrust for both the brand being advertised and the host site where the pop-up appeared.
The findings are detailed in a White Paper from Bunnyfoot Universality which describes itself as the UK's first "universality" consultancy. It sees usability and accessibility as inseparable - so uses the term to describe where both concepts converge.
The research has major implications for some of the UK's leading brands, which are increasingly using pop-up advertising to get under the skin of an evermore marketing-sceptical user base.
Bunnyfoot warns that brands should beware of employing such techniques: they are doing more than simply wasting money and irritating potential customers.
The research was carried out using eye-tracking technology, questionnaires and in-depth interviews with 36 users, in what the company claims is the first detailed study of the effect of pop-up advertising.
Eye-tracking gives the most insightful results because it tracks the movement of the user's eye across the screen, therefore showing what they actually do as opposed to what they think they do or say they do.
The major findings of the research include:
Whilst users accept that there must be a certain level of advertising to fund a site, pop-up advertising goes beyond what many would see as acceptable;
The company name in the advertisement was only seen in 2% of cases;
The average 'click-off' for an advertisement was 2.5 seconds, yet it takes an average 8.5 seconds for the brand logo to appear;
50% of users closed the advertisement before it loaded;
35% of users did not even look at the advertisement;
Users feel that their intelligence is being insulted because of the suggestion that they cannot find what they are looking for themselves;
Users feel imposed upon because they have no choice but to act in order to get rid of the advertisement;
Users are particularly irritated by pop-ups which are not related to the site, as there is no real or useful reason for them to be there; and
Users are particularly frustrated by adverts which appear in the centre of the screen or obstruct information because they are an unwanted interruption.
Rob Stevens, Director of Business Behaviour at Bunnyfoot, said:
"Brands are undoubtedly committing commercial suicide by insisting on using pop-ups. The effect of such techniques goes way beyond simply annoying the user, they frustrate, they impose and they engender mistrust. Pop-ups are therefore not just a huge waste of money, they are also extremely negative for a brand.
"My advice to marketers would be to consider less intrusive means of online marketing such as sponsored links, banner advertisements and search engine optimisation. All have their drawbacks, but if used sensibly they can be very effective. I cannot express more strongly how much we advise against pop-ups."
Recent figures from Forrester identify a consumer backlash against pop-up advertising. The findings suggest that 14% of on-line consumers currently use ad-blocking software to disallow pop-ups, up from just 1% a year ago. Additionally, Microsoft's MSN recently announced plans to outlaw pop-ups on its network, with many other leading providers likely to follow suit.
The online advertising sector is booming, now accounting for 2% of all marketing spend. Estimates suggest that pop-up advertising accounts for around 15% of online advertising expenditure, so spending on pop-ups could equate to £50 million in 2004.