Unexpected ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ pop-ups leave BMW owners furious
BMW is taking heat from customers after Spider-Man: Brand New Day ads were forced on them—the how is what’s driving the outrage.
Newer BMW models have been serving up a surprise when drivers start the car: a short promo for Spider- Man: Brand New Day splashed across the in-dash screen. The push is part of a tie-in between BMW and Sony/Marvel and began appearing last week. According to BMW’s own release, the campaign was billed as a one-off “surprise” and is slated to run through August 10.
Plenty of owners weren’t amused. On Reddit and other forums, drivers said the spot popped up in what they consider a private space — the car they paid a premium for, in some cases well over $100,000. The fact it arrived uninvited at ignition struck many as a line-crossing use of connected-car tech.
“This needs to be made illegal before everyone starts doing it.”
Other reactions from BMW owners included:
- “That’s some absolute b*******.”
- “Insanely dystopian.”
- “$130K to get a Spider-Man commercial.”
- “Sounds like a Black Mirror episode.”
The tie-in on both screens
The in-car ad isn’t happening in a vacuum. In Brand New Day, Peter Parker is shown driving a BMW, even toggling the car’s Sport Mode — classic product placement. What’s different here, owners argue, is the flow being reversed: instead of the car brand sneaking into the movie, the movie is now showing up inside their cars.
BMW has not responded to the backlash. For now, the automaker’s Spidey promotion is scheduled to end on August 10.