Would you Accept Advertising on your Gadgets?
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I get invited to several events throughout the year. I was supposed to attend an event the other day at Microsoft. Unfortunately, I’ve been having issues with my own Web servers, and couldn’t go. Microsoft has been making waves with their announcement about bringing advertising to things like the Zune.
Why would we want advertising on our devices? We put up with a lot of advertising. When there was talk about putting ads into video games, I’m sure there were some negative comments. However, they are done tastefully. They aren’t in your face about it. I don’t mind the ads that litter the Xbox 360. I learn about new games this way, and get pretty good deals.
The idea is that artists can create sponsored pages, users can befriend those artists, and become targets for ads if they want to view news or check out new music. The good news: The program may include free music, to be paid by the sponsor. The bad news: When you send the artist’s info to your friends, the advertising will follow. Microsoft themselves say:
This concept of media free flowing from one form factor to another is central to our connected entertainment vision. And as it turns out, advertisers want the same thing; they want their advertising experience to follow the consumers across the three-screen experience. That’s a big reason why our advertising strategy is directly linked to this overarching Connected Entertainment vision – so we can give advertisers a way of getting a three-screen experience that connects with their audiences across all those environments and user scenarios.
People are constantly on the move, so the ability to download a movie to their Xbox and then transfer it to a PC or mobile device is highly desirable. It’s no longer about the TV or PC on their own; it’s about both plus the mobile phone or music device. The gaming console is no longer just about gaming; it’s about gaming and video. The phone is no longer just about voice; it’s about voice and search and video. And the MP3 player isn’t only about music; it’s about music and video. Consumers are demanding content that spans these different screens. It’s only natural that advertisers will want to span these three screens too.
What do you think? Wouldn’t you rather receive ads that are non-invasive? Do you think the idea is horrible? Either way, I know you have something to say on this.
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