Bad Site Example - Architectural Digest

Let’s talk today about a classic example of bad UX on a website: Architectural Digest - a surprising candidate given their reputation. The site initially load with an HBO Max ad occupying the majority of the screen and at the bottom about one forth of the on screen real estate, is a banner for viewer to log in. AD must not have realized that it is a company in dire financial plight that would forego greeting their viewers with their own brand and contents and rather let an unrelated ad takes over their site - nothing says “we are cash strapped” louder than this gesture. Pop-up is a disrupting tool that not only cause annoyance to the viewers but distraction in the age of “5 sec attention”. What is shown here severely undermine AD’s brand image value.