The folks at WebmasterWorld are discussing a new ad unit some of them are seeing in their AdSense spots. They are calling it a minimalistic ad unit because it is so bland.
One AdSense publisher said, "Are people really going to click these? They don't blend in AT ALL, the opposite of eye-catching."
Here is a photo he provided:
A senior member added, "I don't think it is so bad. Clean and minimalist. Loud, splashy ads aren't always the best."
Truth is, changing up ad units so they look different every now and then typically have a positive influence on click through rates.
Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.