BMW is putting Spider-Man ads on your dashboard, after promising it never would

Andyross

MW is putting a Spider-Man animation on the center screens of compatible cars as part of a movie promotion, drawing criticism because the campaign clashes with the company’s earlier claim that the display is a private space. The campaign effectively turns a car’s main screen into a branded advertising surface, which is precisely the kind of use BMW previously said it would not pursue.

https://www.techspot.com/news/113327-bmw-putting-spider-man-ads-dashboard-after-promising.html

ugly95

The “We won’t use this for ads” line has a batting average of about 0.

dave

Not only are they showing adverts, it’s for bottom-feeder superhero hollywood shit.

urbanriot

I would absolutely never buy a car that showed advertising.

Somewhat-Reticent

“Never say never”?

urbanriot

Somewhat-Reticent “Never say never”?

I expect at some point I won’t have a choice and watching a 30 minute advertisement before you start your car might become the new normal but tying into another thread we have going on the death of the stick shift, I’ll have mechanical knobs, dials, and buttons until the day I die… which means I probably won’t have to put up with this.

Astyanax

BMW is putting Spider-Man ads on your dashboard, after promising it never would

“What a tangled web we weave…”

takeahike

Why would anybody pay twice the price for a BMW that with the endless horror stories and for example, as one of our members can attest, has at a minimum 20x the problems of your typical Japanese car, not to mention having to watch advertising as well? Haven’t they already made enough from the sale, not to mention expecting you to bring it to their way overpriced dealers for their endless out of warranty repairs? Most companies claims that they will “never” do something adverse means that they are just trying to figure out what the date that they will break their promise is.

dave

FWIW, I bought a BMW 3 in 2010 and am still driving it. Anecdotally, it’s been less trouble than our other car, a Subaru. My previous car was a Civic, but when new car time came, a new Civic was clearly a shit-box with a poorly-designed UI, blinged out with blue LEDs. An Acura model was no better. The BMW, by contrast, was a joy to drive. And I’m no gearhead.

I’m not condoning subscription features or in-car adverts. They will make me think twice when it’s finally time to replace my car.

Somewhat-Reticent

Per OP article comment,
“the ad is not automatically played or … obtrusive. When you turn the car off, there’s a notification that says check out the new spiderman.”

takeahike

dave

At least according to Consumer Reports, indicated here, they’ve come a long way and possibly now as you have experienced have turned the corner (pun unintended) but I’m not sure that that, like the American brands of yesteryear, makes up for the past. Like an old flame who has cheated on you, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to trust them again.

dave

takeahike

My BMW is 16 years old so that corner was not recently turned!

(Yeah, having posted this, something expensive is sure to fail tomorrow)

codezer0

At this point in time, the only spider-man movie I’m interested at all in seeing is the next spiderverse one. I don’t have the patience or the interest in any live action one. BMW is sure going out of its way to become the clinical herpes of the automotive world. And somehow I already expect GM to be taking notes and putting this in their stuff, too.

Thane_Bitter

Andyross Germans lying? Well that has never happened before. /s

It cheapens the brand considerably IMHO, Kindle and KOBO offered cheaper ereaders to customers that would have ads plastered all over the e-reader screens. At least they knew what they were buying, a cheaper product with a cheapened product experience, but this is a reminder to BMW customers that they should have bought the top line model if they expect any level of respect from the company.

We promise to never break any promise except when we break promises.