Will bathroom mirror ads actually make you want to buy something?
The last frontier for marketing has always been the public washroom, but even our privacy there has gone the way of “Sandra Bullock, trusting wife.”
Sometime ago, the most confidential place we had became subject to framed, bathroom stall ads. Next came posters above toilets and TVs on the walls.
And then (FYI, ladies), there arrived branded urinal cakes. It’s not enough to pee in your own solitude – men must now do it all over Gene Simmons.
Of course, you didn’t think the ad men would stop there, did you?
According to the Toronto Star, a Canadian firm is now bringing advertisements to bathroom mirrors across the country, marking a complete and total marketing invasion of our loos and WCs.
AddMirror Canada Ltd. has taken to branding mirror space inside restrooms in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, and will install similar reflective billboards in Calgary bathrooms next month, the Star reports.
For such a simple idea, the mirror ads are actually quite complex. They’re printed on film behind two-way glass, and the marketer’s message is illuminated by LED backlighting. Most ads run on a 20-second loop and can encompass the entire mirror face.
Any silver lining to these ads – and believe me, they appear few and far between – is that the Canadian mirror ads have been improved from their original U.K. counterparts to be more eco-friendly.
The ads will work on motion sensors so they’re not blaring bright, neon messages when no one’s even in the can.
Now, while no one should be surprised by the move to keep cramming ad space into a washroom, will seeing a company’s logo or ad on a bathroom mirror make us really want to buy their product?
Chances are, bathroom-goers will experience one of three reactions when they see ads muddling up their reflection in the mirror: intrigue, indifference or wrath.
When your local watering hole undoubtedly moves to put ads on its mirrors, which response will be yours?
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: PirateKitty | Mar 30, 2021 11:35:56 AM
Massive annoyance. That will be my reaction; I dare say it will encourage me NOT to patronize both the establishment with the ad and whatever company the ad is for.
Posted by: M Vernon | Mar 30, 2021 3:37:52 PM
One of the only last personal spaces is now being invaded!!! I absolutely abhore this move and will go out of my way not to use public washrooms and will boycott any businesses that I do see using this advertising medium. A washroom should be private personal space and treated as such.
Posted by: Mark | Mar 30, 2021 5:24:02 PM
First we have the Privacy Act, which many fail to adhere to, then we have the "Do Not Call" list to stop the endless telemarketers, which they ignore and call anyways, then we have the annoying endless banner ads that get into you face on the Internet, then we have the tons of flyers we get in our mail everyday and now some idiot comes up with the last private place we have to get away from it all for but just a few minutes and WHAM!...advertising in/on mirrors!! Why don't they put the advertising on the tiolet seat itself? Why wait till we finish our personal business? Enough is enough! This idea crosses the line of human and public acceptance.
Posted by: Tom M | Mar 30, 2021 8:33:44 PM
Gee I wonder how much I can get for the fancy LCD screen and mirror. Don't look at this as an invasion of privacy-look at as an opportunity for making some quick money or in the event you can't pry it away from the wall or door-a chance to practice state of the art vandalism. Come on people where's that creative spirit?