BMW scares customers with Spider-Man ads on infotainment display
A new animation on the infotainment system’s display is currently causing frustration among many BMW customers: instead of the pure driving pleasure BMW promotes, an advertisement for the new Spider-Man movie appears on the screen when getting into the vehicle. However, the company does not consider this advertising at all and wants to interpret it positively.
Unwanted Spider-Man ads in your own car? Many drivers are currently not very happy when they start their BMWs. That’s because certain models from 2020 onward now display a pop-up ad highlighting a “Spider-Man” promotion. After clicking the banner — which is voluntary! — a longer full-screen animation with music and ambient lighting starts. The car manufacturer aims to promote the new movie “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and the debut of the new BMW iX3 in this blockbuster, yet surprisingly doesn’t consider it advertising.
In online forums like Reddit, however, this move faces severe criticism. Users are upset that, despite high vehicle prices, content is displayed that closely resembles traditional advertising. One commentator, for example, mocked the need for “ad blockers for cars,” software designed to block ads.
The outrage is amplified by previous statements from the German manufacturer. As late as 2023, BMW’s head of infotainment, Stephan Durach, told reporters: “Ultimately, the car is, in my opinion, the last private sanctuary.” At that time, he emphasized that he couldn’t imagine selling the screen to show ads, as it is a private space, according to Spiegel Online.
BMW itself vehemently rejects the accusation of advertising. In response to a query from Spiegel Online, the Munich-based automaker stated that it has received a great deal of positive feedback. According to the company, the animation “is not intended to promote the movie or serve as a conventional film trailer. Therefore, it is not classic advertising either — and no advertisements will be displayed in the vehicles going forward.” This is because the display recommends both the movie “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and the new BMW iX3 — two products whose sales could be promoted in this way. In Germany, courts generally classify such content as advertising. This video shows what the approximately 20-second clip looks like:
According to BMW, the global campaign will continue until August 10 in over 70 countries for vehicles with a production date after July 2020, along with the corresponding equipment and software version.
In the movie, the new all-electric BMW iX3 as the first model of the New Class and the BMW 5 Series sedan are both integrated into the plot. In other words, it is product placement. BMW aims to promote both vehicles to a million-strong audience through this approach — true advertising!