American Consumer News » advertising http://www.americanconsumernews.com News for Consumers in Changing Times Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:06:28 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 California Considers Debt-Busting License Plate Ads http://www.americanconsumernews.com/2010/06/california-considers-debt-busting-license-plate-ads.html http://www.americanconsumernews.com/2010/06/california-considers-debt-busting-license-plate-ads.html#comments Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:35:39 +0000 tisha http://www.americanconsumernews.com/?p=5009 California Considers Debt-Busting License Plate Ads was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

]]> The state of California is trying to think outside of the box when it comes to making up the $19 million budget deficit. The latest idea has already passed the state Senate and is ready to make an appearance before the Legislature. Government leaders are hopeful they can allow for electronic advertising on California to bring in some much needed revenue.

The idea is to allow the Department of Motor Vehicles to investigate the new digital electronic license plate technology. The DMB would partner with the technology company Smart Plate to development new technologies at no cost to the state. The digital technology would allow license plates to start displaying ads when a vehicle is stopped for four seconds or more such as during a red light or a traffic jam. The ads would only work when the vehicle is stopped to prevent distracting other drivers. The license plates would also be used as an informational board where important safety information, news, and Amber Alerts sent out to find missing children could be broadcast. The driver’s license plate number would be visible at all times and look like a standard metal plate when advertisements are not being displayed.

To date, the technology is being developed by the San Francisco technology firm Smart Plate but not yet sold. If the measure is passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Schwarzenneger, it could become law. The Department of Motor Vehicles would work to provide real world data to the Legislature about the technology, the potential for savings, and the revenue amounts generated by the technology.

California is not afraid to be creative with their license plates and sponsors believe that selling advertisements on license plates could raise decent cash to help improve the state’s deficit. If given the go-ahead, California would be the first in the nation to have advertising on its license plates.

California Considers Debt-Busting License Plate Ads was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

]]> http://www.americanconsumernews.com/2010/06/california-considers-debt-busting-license-plate-ads.html/feed 1 General Motors (NYSE: GM) Accused of Misleading Public http://www.americanconsumernews.com/2010/04/general-motors-nyse-gm-accused-of-misleading-public.html http://www.americanconsumernews.com/2010/04/general-motors-nyse-gm-accused-of-misleading-public.html#comments Mon, 26 Apr 2010 21:57:08 +0000 tisha http://www.americanconsumernews.com/?p=4589 General Motors (NYSE: GM) Accused of Misleading Public was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

]]> There are some lawmakers who are pointing the finger at General Motors (NYSE: GM), accusing the company of misleading the public through ads claiming they have repaid the government bailout funds in full. The ads have been running on the major networks and state the company has paid back its $6.7 billion US Government loan. General Motors’ ads also claim in addition to the principle balance, they have also paid interest five years ahead of their regular schedule.

The ad features Ed Whitacre, General Motors Company’s CEO, walking through an auto plant while talking up the progress made by the company. However lawmakers, including the inspector general for the bailout fund that GM borrowed money from, say differently. They claim General Motors only repaid the bailout funds by taking monies from another bailout fund. The lawmakers are rallying that General Motors did not use their own earnings to make repayments and want to know why the executives are making a public deal out of the situation.  TARP inspector general, Neil Barofsky told the Senate Finance Committee during last week’s hearing that the repayment from GM is just other TARP monies.

Senator Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner stating his concerns and requesting more information about why GM was even allowed to dip from one fund to pay back the other. General Motors overall received $52 billion from the government assistance program so the repaid amount is a small portion of what the company truly owes. Lawmakers are reportedly being told to expect losses on GM to exceed $30 billion.

Other lawmakers are taking to the newspapers and the airwaves to express their concerns about the seemingly false advertising being done by General Motors. The ads could actually cause problems for the automaker and the Federal Trade Commission because of the truth-in-advertising laws. These laws were passed to prevent ads that are misleading consumers.

General Motors made a statement to say they are repaying the loan with other government monies but added ‘A year ago nobody though we’d be able to pay this back.’ The FTC has not commented on the specific General Motors advertising.

General Motors (NYSE: GM) Accused of Misleading Public was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

]]> http://www.americanconsumernews.com/2010/04/general-motors-nyse-gm-accused-of-misleading-public.html/feed 1 Get Paid to Get a Tattoo (And Sell Yourself Out to Corporate America in the Process) http://www.americanconsumernews.com/2007/12/get-paid-to-get-a-tattoo-and-sell-yourself-out-to-corporate-america-in-the-process.html http://www.americanconsumernews.com/2007/12/get-paid-to-get-a-tattoo-and-sell-yourself-out-to-corporate-america-in-the-process.html#comments Thu, 27 Dec 2007 17:21:37 +0000 ACN Staff http://www.financeispersonal.com/2007/12/get-paid-to-get-a-tattoo-and-sell-yourself-out-to-corporate-america-in-the-process.html Get Paid to Get a Tattoo (And Sell Yourself Out to Corporate America in the Process) was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

]]> Lease Your BodyIf you’re young, broke, and desperately need money, what do you do? Conventional wisdom would indicate that going out and getting a job would be the smart thing to do, but instead some people are taking drastic measures by selling advertising real estate on their skin! People are connecting with advertisers and having temporary tattoos placed on their body with the advertiser’s corporate logo, and apparently it’s making them some decent money.

A new unique online community has been created called LeaseYourBody.com. On the site, you can designate a certain dollar amount that you’ll accept to place a temporary tattoo on your body and then post it to your personal profile. You’ll also designate where you are willing to accept tattoos on your body. Advertisers can then logon, select the candidates they like, submit their ad and make a payment. You’ll then be able to accept or decline the tattoo. If you accept it, the temporary tattoo will be sent to you in the mail and then you verify it with them and you’ll get a check in the mail.

This new community isn’t the first instance of selling advertising real estate on your body. For a while Goodyear was offering a free set of tires to anyone who would get a permanent tattoo! There have also been instances where individuals have contacted companies and gotten a significant chunk of change to get a permanent tattoo on their body.

Getting money for placing temporary tattoos on your body is certainly not for everyone, but if you already have a few tattoos and want to make some extra money, it’s an option

Get Paid to Get a Tattoo (And Sell Yourself Out to Corporate America in the Process) was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

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