Am sat here by my computer, it's late on a Saturday and I know any minute it will strike. At first it was just the odd advertisement, then it moved to my computer, facebook account and twitter.... now it's on my phone. It has systematically invaded every corner of my life without restriction and now I live in terror.
Alas, this isn't the outline for a new book (which incidentally sounds like a really good story). I'm referring to that Game of Thrones inspired Game of War app. At first, the rather attractive model used to sell said app, namely the aesthetically pleasing Kate Upton, appeared on TV and at the Cinema. I didn't think much of it back then but soon she was on my PC... erm okay, still not interested in downloading this App. Then she appeared on my phone in the App store... okay I can accept that, surely the best place to stick an ad for an App is on the App store. But then it got sinister.....
It was a Tuesday afternoon, my phone was slowing down and thanks largely to a number of Apps I praised in an earlier Blog, I had the means to close unwanted Apps and return efficiency to my phone. Suddenly, mid cleaning, she appeared. Beautiful.. yes, dramatic... yes but somewhat unnerving that it had appeared on my screen without any direction from myself. It was also unnerving that this App was a mere two clicks from being instantly downloaded to my phone.
It felt much like the salesman who refuses to take no for an answer but this time instead of no, it was a case of the salesman inviting himself into your home, emptying your fridge and moving in despite the number of times you said "no thank you", "please leave now" or "I'm calling the police, please f$$k off!".
Whilst attempting to sell my novels, I've learnt much about marketing. One of the key rules is to not become an annoyance. Occasionally flash your ad to a new audience and engage. Simples really. But Game of War appears to be in defiance of this rule. It has become annoying and successful, as oppose to being annoyingly successful.
I fear for the future now as technology slowly infiltrates our lives. 20 years ago, it was a fun thing to have a phone, the Nokia 3310 which you could make phone calls (imagine that), send text messages and play "Snake", now it is a necessity with dynamic opportunities and flexibility... but with that comes advertising space. But what next? Google Glass, now this attractive App can be flashed directly into your eyes.... And after that, Google Contact Lenses? Now shutting your eyes won't be enough.
There will likely come a day when advertisements can be beamed directly into our minds whilst we sleep. Perhaps a company in the future will make a fortune from selling dreams... hey there's another idea for a story. Am sure Game of War will be one of the first of many to infiltrate our dreams and weirdly be downloaded directly into our minds. Scary.
And as if by magic, there it is on my TV now.... Game of Bloody War. I think I'll live in the shed.