Pop-ups were invented in the mid-1990s by Ethan Zuckerman to advertise various products on websites like tripod.com. By the early 2000s, most browsers allowed users to block unwanted pop-up ads, and Internet Explorer removed pop-ups in 2004 with the release of Windows XP. Television program sponsorship began in 1946 and has included companies like Cadbury's, Daz, Heinz, and McCain sponsoring soaps like Hollyoaks, Coronation Street, and Emmerdale over the years. The first TV advert aired in September 1955 and was 70 seconds long promoting toothpaste.