The future is coming, at an increasingly alert pace. I used to frown upon ads on the sites I visited, and then I got used to it and accepted them as a source of revenue and a way for the internet to keep going on – a necessary evil, if you will.
Next, we had video ads, which made us wait 15 to 30 seconds for the start of our desired collection of moving pictures. Now, General Motors is looking to include ads into future versions of their internet-enabled MyLink infotainment system and “earn $20 from each customer who signs up for the Internet service,” according to a report from Reuters.
I believe technology should make our lives easier, not “tap new sources of revenue and boost profit margins,” which is what GM CEO Dan Akerson has announced is the company’s goal.
“For example, what happens if when the logo shows on your screen, it says ‘brought to you by Allstate’?” said Akerson during a conference call. “How many times is that going to pop? And how much can you get from Allstate?”
Well, in regards to the first question, I think the answer is many buyers might be turned off and possibly look elsewhere to another manufacturer that puts customer satisfaction above profit margins, or at least keeps the two in balance, thereby making the $20 they earn per user not worth the trouble. You see ads on TV, on your computer, in magazines, on the street and on your phone. Do we want more of them in our cars?
By Andrei Nedelea
PHOTO GALLERY
