Google Plans Free Ad-Sponsored Cellphones
I was reading OpinionatedMarketers this morning and read an interesting post about popup ads on broadband interenet connections at Marriott Hotels, and how annoying it is to pay for the priveledge of seeing intrusive ads. Then this little bit crossed my desk and I got to thinking.
In Google’s perfect world, cellphones would be free for those users who would be willing to watch ads on their devices. In an interview with Reuters, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said that cell phone price subsidies should increase in tandem with the amount of advertising delivered over cellular networks. “Your mobile phone should be free,” Schmidt said to Reuters. “It just makes sense that subsidies should increase.”
Now, I’m cheap, and to boot I just broke my cellphone, yet somehow I just don’t see myself watching ads so I can have the honor of calling in my order at the Chinese restaurant. Really…
3 thoughts on “Google Plans Free Ad-Sponsored Cellphones”
I agree… but I think there are some people who would put up with the ads. Students, for example… generally anybody who currently has more time than money. Eventually they’d probably graduate up to paid phones as their financial position improved.
Of course, I expect that people would get in the habit of dialing the call and setting the phone down and ignoring it till the ad finished.
John,
Bingo! I’d just ignore it like I do all the others . “free pass” to an article? I just look away and do something else until the ad finishes.
Marketers have to move past the old-style interruption, push “hey look at me!” advertising – we’re not looking.
Right on…we’ve trained people to ignore ads, just think of banner ads on websites. Heck, this is exactly the reason Tivo came into being, to zap out ads.
Engagement…not interruption – it does no good to get a potential customer to look at your ad if you annoy them at the same time.