A live banner is a banner ad which is created dynamically (or whose content is created dynamically) at the time of display, instead of being pre-programmed with fixed content. Live banners function the same way as traditional web banners: promoting a brand, product, service, or an event, except that the banner content is variable and may even update in real time.

Live banners have been slow to catch on with advertisers generally despite their potential to alert customers to immediate or time-sensitive sales offers. The reasons for this are not well known but may be related to the costs and technical complexities and the cautious response from media portals to displaying dynamic advertising content which they are unable to view and approve in advance.

In order to display current or relevant content, live banners typically have the ability to retrieve external data from a web server and display it on the fly, enabling them to present marketing opportunities in real-time. For example, a live banner for an airline might promote last-minute seat availability on the day’s flights, at special prices.