Lexus' Trial Balloon On Car Spam
from the oh-please-don't dept
Lexus has announced plans to roll out a system that will allow the company to send audio messages to its cars, which most people immediately realized meant we should get ready for spam in our cars. It's pretty obvious that's what Lexus is thinking when it says things like: "messages can be highly targeted, such as tailored for those who have a specific vehicle type or who live in a particular ZIP code." However, the company is obviously sensitive to the spam issue, saying that "We're not going to barrage customers with marketing messages," and noting that some may not want this: "Many of our owners enjoy their car as a cocoon." The whole thing sounds like a trial balloon idea to see how people react, and so far it doesn't sound good. You could see some potentially useful situation -- such as in the event of a recall, but the likelihood of someone in marketing getting a "brilliant idea" for some extra revenue and pissing off a lot of people just seems too high.
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What an extraordinarily bad idea
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At least Toyota/Lexus Innovates...
(Imitation of HAL 9000 Voice:) Hi Dave. It seems a little warmer in the cabin than normal. Would you like a 32-ounce Slurpee from the 7-11 on the left? Based on traffic, you'll still get to your appointment on time.
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Re: At least Toyota/Lexus Innovates...
I wonder whether Toyota is also worried that its precipitous drop in sales, much greater than Ford's has it a bit more worried about continued bland car offerings.
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Good Uses...?
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No
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SO WHAT if its for MARKETING?
Ow wait, i get it, Lexus isn't trying to enforce rules you don't like so they shouldn't be innovative.
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Re: SO WHAT if its for MARKETING?
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Re: Re: SO WHAT if its for MARKETING?
What if Lexus would sell you a $60k car for $25k if you allowed them to play a 30sec commercial every time you got in.
Or what if that car your leasing for $550 dollars a month was discounted by $300 as long as you drove at least 60 times a month.
Listen you bandwagon jumpers, no ones going to buy a car that has something as intrusive as your imagining so its not like a car company is going to force this down anyone's neck.
But this is the same kind of concept that has made youtube so successful. The king that this site should be applauding.
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Re: Re: SO WHAT if its for MARKETING?
And secondly, we're talking about a CAR. If through some extreme case of retardation, Lexas did make a car that had a system that was as intrusive as you imagine, and(and this is a big contingent) someone was STUPID enough to PAY LEXUS money for it; How f'in long do you think it would be before you could get the retarded thing removed. I can have a computer controlled speed limiter removed from my car for $30, but this thing would be permanent right???
YOU IDIOT
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Re: SO WHAT if its for MARKETING?
I never understand people who make arguments like this. It's as if because we suggest that there are important new business models (and explain a framework to understand why some business models make sense and some don't) we have to immediately love all new business models, no matter how dumb.
Ow wait, i get it, Lexus isn't trying to enforce rules you don't like so they shouldn't be innovative.
No, you don't get it. You see mto have a lot of trouble getting it, actually.
It's a bad idea, so we're going to say it's a bad idea.
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Hey Mike
You managed to not only vastly oversimplify the reference article but to rewrite it in your own image.
So I'll ask the question straight out. WHAT MAKES THIS A BAD IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! please tell me I would love to know.
And keep in mind I have read the above article and others, so making stuff up in order to sensationalize it won't do!
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Re: Hey Mike
Yeah, they can always put their hands over their ears.
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2 problems
2: abuse by others
end result: nobody wants this, period.
When will people figure out that plenty of people just do not want any form of advertising other than word-of mouth from trusted friends or funny/interesting ads, which still aren't guaranteed to work? This is because crappy or pointless or intrusive ads are the norm, not the exception.
Shoving an ad in your car that you can't get away from bar nothing except turning off your stereo is extremely intrusive. Imagine if this was a video or something, that managed to cause an accident even if it could "only go off when not moving" causing someone to get rear ended/etc (not that any of us would be surprised).
It is for this reason that the crappiest and also the shadiest products have the strongest/most abusive marketing - because they're not good enough to sell themselves. Examples: Microsoft, IDT energy, Intel, Ford, Chrysler.
If you sell someone a lexus and already have salespeople to follow up with them when it's time to get another, why sell side-products? Sheesh. Lexus knows exactly what they are doing: selling out to make a buck.
Watch lexus in the next few years, they're going to go downhill before they recover, clearly.
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Re: 2 problems
What if Lexus would sell you a $60k car for $25k if you allowed them to play a 30sec commercial every time you got in.
Or what if that car your leasing for $550 dollars a month was discounted by $300 as long as you drove at least 60 times a month.
Listen you bandwagon jumpers, no ones going to buy a car that has something as intrusive as your imagining so its not like a car company is going to force this down anyone's neck.
But this is the same kind of concept that has made youtube so successful. The king that this site should be applauding.
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Re: 2 problems
Ford has done what the people on this site have been suggesting American companies do, get innovative and get better.
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Re: Re: 2 problems
In this J.D. Power article it states that #1 in initial quality is Porsche; luxury cars aside, if you click on the link on that page to see the quality ratings, Toyota ranks 5th (under Porsche, Infiniti, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz) and Ford only 8th. Am I looking at the wrong information?
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Re: Re: Re: 2 problems
I had not seen the 2008 survey. Here is the last survey I reviewed:
http://money.cnn.com/2007/06/06/autos/jdpa_quality/index.htm
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Re: Re: Re: 2 problems
Here was what caught my eye originally...
Ford led all automakers with 12 vehicles placing among the top three finishers in the 19 categories in the J.D. Power survey.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003737480_fordquality07.html
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Re: Re: 2 problems
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hmmm . . . let's see now, there are all these free broadcast television networks with thousands of outlets, all free because it's supported by advertising. Then along comes cable Oh, sure you you pay a monthly fee for cable, but at least it's without commercials . . . right? What? You say it has at least as many commercials as broadcast TV, maybe more? Well, then how about movies? You go to theater, pay $10 to $12 for an unreserved seat, stand in line up to an hour before it starts to get a decent seat - but at least there are no commercials right? What? You say there are often 20 or more minutes of commercials that each run for 1 to 2 minutes? And people still pay?
Well folks, I think I just figured out one solid reason why cable is losing customers to the Internet and why movie theaters are, too. So far, no one can force me to watch commercials on the net - and pay for the privilege.
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Downside risk
Marketing types are a rude lot - look at Dave Barnes.
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@#12 - A car is transportation, not status
Maybe for pinheads who would buy Lexuses in the first place, I guess, if you need that for a phallus-substitute, there are more destructive things on which you could waste money.
I will say this scheme does not reduce the probability I will every buy a Lexus because that was already as close to zero as a real-world probability can be.
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I'll be so startled by an ad
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Should be Humorous
It wont be long till the first of many lawsuits.
drvr: I was distracted by the announcement, and really did not see that before it was too late. It's not MY fault, the stupid car MADE ME DO IT.
This will lead to laws about driving while being spammed.
Let the hilarity commence.
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Re: Should be Humorous
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Assuming I wanted a Lexus, I'd take the lower price and then find someone to cut out the receiver that allows them to send audio messages to that particular car. Failing that, I'd have them completely isolate the audio system so that other than power, there are no outside connections to it. If they designed the car so that it wouldn't operate with the receiver cut off, I'd disconnect the wires to the speakers and stick a portable radio to the dashboard.
Or what if that car your leasing for $550 dollars a month was discounted by $300 as long as you drove at least 60 times a month.
So you think it's a good idea that the car company spies on you? Should they also install a GPS system that can be remotely monitored and then give you a lower price if you agree not to drive to areas that they disapprove of? Will your driving habits be sold to marketing companies, like some ISPs do with your surfing habits?
How about they just hire someone to ride in the back seat of your car at all times, so that they can report back to Lexus where you drive, what times you drive, how good of a driver you are, etc?
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Spam In A Car
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Lexus
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Auto Phishing schemes
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Fifth Element
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