Advertising in Kindle’s Future

The Kindle ebook reader, the newest gadget everybody wants but nobody needs, is planning on adding advertising to its ebooks.

According to patents filed by Amazon, the Kindle would include ads throughout the ebook, in its margins, between chapters or every 10 pages. The ads could be targeted based on the consumer’s profile as well as the content of the novel. Imagine settling down to read “Moby Dick” and being sidetracked by an ad for a whale-watching cruise from Expedia.com.

Users would have the opportunity to purchase the book at a lower price if they agreed to view the ads.

This is a novel (pardon the pun) way for advertisers to target their audience; but from the perspective of a consumer, I would have a hard time really losing myself in a story if ads were incorporated into the pages. It would be a distraction that may negatively affect my perception of the advertiser.

--Tessa G.