Pushed advertising is it only bad?

[Asher Kelman]

This topic comes from here discussing electronic navigator aids. I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was, that Garmin was using the device we buy for getting selling adds. This brings up the whole topic of pushed advertising and campaigning into out private spaces.

Thanks, Bart, the nüvi 755T an excellent Garmin update to the 760. However, I found this

"One gripe: The nüvi 755T comes with advertisements. My evaluation unit arrived with three preloaded vendors (BP, Walgreens, and Wells Fargo). When you access the traffic menu, one of these advertiser's names always appears at the bottom of the screen. Also, from time to time, one of these ads will pop up on the map view screen (they won't appear when you are in motion). A single tap of the advertisers' name will perform a POI search for nearby retail locations. Unfortunately, you can't disable these ads, but it's likely that they help Garmin offset the cost of the live traffic information that it offers free."

So is that a general trend? How intrusive does it seem?

Asher

[Will_Perlis]

"How intrusive does it seem?"

Intrusive enough so I'm glad I gave a 780 to my kid tonight for his birthday instead of a IOU for one of the forthcoming models.

When I'm a little older, I'm expecting a corporate branding message to play on my implanted pacer/defibrillator after each activation. You know, something like "Medtronics saved your life again!" or "You can always depend on Duracell". Of course, if it doesn't work, I won't care that the message isn't true.

[Nill Toulme]

You might think you're exaggerating, but I don't think you are. Think of what the typical website looks like now, and consider the electronic billboards cropping up along our roads, and the push for location based push content for our cell phones. Fast forward to "Blade Runner" and imagine us all having just traded in our fulltime heads up displays for neural implants. It's coming — it's just a matter of time.

Nill

[Will_Perlis]

Nill,

I've been reading science fiction since the early Fifties and I'm fairly convinced more of the dystopian predictions are coming true compared to the utopian ones (with the possible exception of the USA-USSR nuke exchange. So far).

We shall see. Or rather, my kids will. IMO, life in the US is becoming more like life everywhere and everyplace else. The late Forties, Fifties, and early Sixties were a magical time in the US for a great many people (and not for some, I realize that), created from WW2. It won't be repeated without a break-through in cheap fusion power, I think.

[Will_Perlis]

Asher, my apologies for derailing your GPS thread.

In any event, I'm totally against advertising I can't turn off. If I start getting marketing calls or text messages on my cellphone I will turn it off and only turn it on when I want to make a call or check my voice mail. That will really be only a return to the way life used to be not long ago. I grew up without instant phone access and the world managed to turn even so.

I will NOT put up with the thing bleeping at me for no good reason while I am trying to navigate a nasty freeway interchange or doing anything else that requires my full attention.

It's not clear to me how the Garmin ads will work in practice. If they show up while I'm looking at the GPS map while I'm driving then they can forget me as a customer from here on.

Maybe it's an age thing. I like gadgets as much as the next guy or gal but I'm also well aware that "like" is not the same as "need". Alternatively, maybe it's an immunization thing. I've worked for gadget and marketing companies, perhaps I've developed antibodies to bullshit.

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Will,

Don't worry about spawning new topics. That's great and makes the pace vibrant. I just segregate subjects that get traction, that's all!

I may then go back and delete some of the copied threads that bear no relevance to the original topic, but take my time for that. I think this is really important.

I'd say that pop-ip ads should be banned as long as one is in motion. To appear during driving, is a hazard! I guess we need to update our laws!

Asher

[Will_Perlis]

The article said there wouldn't be pop-ups while one is in motion. That's not good enough in Los Angeles traffic, I think.

[Kathy Rappaport]

Ads are all around us already. On milk cartons, we get at least 10 recorded sales ads per day at the office - we can be on the Don't call list at home but not on our cellphones or office phones. We get text message ads now - and if we don't have a text message plan on our cell phone we pay for receiving those ads ourselves. We get a few unsolicited faxes every day and our spam boxes over flow. The internet is full of ads at every page. Radio and Television too. And even when you go to the theater to see a movie. If you rent them their on the recorded media. Pens, Calendars and coffee cups. My mailbox is full of catalogues and junk mail. The grocery store carts are full of ads in hopes you will try the next product.

There is money to be had and we're going to see the message come across to you!

But, hey, if they use photos in those ads, please ask them to call me. I will shoot for money !