the present invention relates to an electronic advertising system . more specifically , the present invention allows telephone users to create a “ mailbox ” at the point of responding to an ad , regardless of whether the ad originated on the telephone or on the internet . similarly , internet users can create a “ mailbox ” at the point of responding to a personal ad on the internet , regardless of whether the ad originated on the telephone or via the internet . by giving both advertisers and respondents a “ mailbox ”, the present invention allows for anonymous communication until one or both are comfortable with giving out a means of contact . moreover , the communication can occur regardless of whether a user is on a telephone or on the internet . this provides additional safety for users of personal ad systems while preserving the ability for telephone users to communicate with internet users .