BMW slams ad machine into reverse, screeches out of pirate den
Flash motors parked alongside dodgy MP3 downloads
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Musicians are claiming a small victory in pressuring BMW to rethink its internet advertising policies.
The car maker, which posted revenues of €68bn in 2011 - making it more than twice the size of Google - has promised to review how it promotes itself on the internet after the Trichordist blog noticed the German giant was touting its flash motors on pirate music sites.
The blog stated that a BMW promotion ended up appearing on downloads den MP3Crank beside the Drive movie soundtrack, scored by the former Magic Band and Red Hot Chilli Peppers drummer Cliff Martinez.
"These are not 'millionaire rock stars' being exploited," noted the blog. "They are regular, hard working musicians who caught a lucky break. That break unfortunately is not for the profit of the artists, but rather this site who is contributing nothing to the artists themselves."
After a write-in campaign the car giant has pulled the ads and vowed to review its policies, notes contributor Chris Castle.
Recent years have given lazy journalists an easy story to write. The poor artist is enslaved to an evil record company, which tries to stamp out internet freedom. Pirates can set them free. It's partial and simplistic, at best - and this year, with indie musicians frustrated by the lack of success in overcoming timid legislators, they've increasingly taken direct action themselves.
But they can't do it on their own. Castle adds a caution for sites tempted to use ad networks:
"I seriously doubt that any ad network or ad exchange is clean. It is an occupation that is at best suspect and at worst a haven for money laundering. It is also very likely that your paycheck includes profit from human misery from copyright infringement to mail order brides."
BMW had not responded to our request for comment at press time.
We interviewed Trichordist founder David Lowery recently, here. ®
COMMENTS
well targeted , music piracy.
I'm guessing bmw ads will appear if you type "gold chain" or "jetski" into google
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A Day in the Life of a BMW driver:
he other day I was cruising along as usual coming onto one of my interstates, which was very busy with inferior cars.
First off, I couldn't believe that the volume of traffic DIDN'T slow down for me AT ALL as I came off the exit ramp! I had to squeeze into a barely big enough gap between two cars in order to get onto my motorway!
The driver of the car behind me did realise his mistake though and honked an apology to me with a long blast of his horn.
Unbelievably, I had to do the same again before I could get to the BMW lane.
Anyway, once I was in the BMW lane and posing along at 110 mph enjoying the adulation that the inferior car drivers were giving me, I noticed an inferior car ahead of me which was not only in the BMW lane of my motorway, but was driving at a ridiculous 70 mph!
Naturally, I got within a foot or so of his rear bumper and flashed my headlights to remind him he shouldn't be in the BMW lane of my motorway and to get out of my way.
Of course, once he realised it was a BMW behind him, he did just that, but I could hardly believe it when he pulled straight back out behind me!
He also tried to keep up with me and when he realised I would out-run him, he put on some blue lights in his front grill and urged me to get onto the hard shoulder so that he could congratulate me on my excellent car.
Needless to say, I was eager to oblige and when we had stopped, the man gave me a piece of paper confirming what I already knew - that my car goes fast!
Apparently he wants everyone to know what a superior car I have, so I had to take my drivers licence to a police station to be sent away to have some points put on! (They're not free points either - they're £20 each and I was only allowed 3.) But the man at the police station said that because I drive a BMW, it won't be much longer before I earn the full 12 points, and then I won't even NEED a driving licence, so they will take it off me!
See, now THAT'S the sort of respect you get when you own and drive a BMW!
"...profit from human misery from copyright infringement to mail order brides."
I never knew that downloading a copy of a movie was similar to human trafficking.
Yep, just like shooting a policeman, or stealing his helmet and defecating in it.
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