Honk if you love ... Product X

June 26, 2000

If you've been in the San Francisco Bay Area recently, you might have passed the newest rage in advertising: driving billboards. Bay Area residents who live or work in an urban area or drive an average of 29 miles a day can get their car wrapped in an adhesive vinyl advertisement promoting companies like the Internet search-engine Excite, and Jamba Juice. "Admobile" drivers are paid up to $400 a month.

Some gawkers see the ads as nothing more than visual pollution, adding to the approximately 1,500 advertisements Americans see each day. Keith Powers, founder of Myfreecar.com, which matches drivers with advertisers, say it's a freedom of choice.

"There is no reason a person shouldn't be able to advertise for a product they like," he says. Advertisers like the concept because they can reach more people for less money. The cars are equipped with tracking devices, so advertisers can see where and how often the car is driven. Mr. Powers says about 15,000 drivers have applied to Myfreecar.com since May.

(c) Copyright 2000. The Christian Science Publishing Society