Key Takeaways
- LG is testing showing ads mixed in with the screensavers on their OLED TVs.
- LG bragged about this idea to potential advertisers in an online company posting.
- Some of the television sets that will show ads cost thousands of dollars.
It was bound to happen sooner or later. LG has come up with a brilliant new way to make money, and it involves forcing ads into your living room even when your TV is off. It will do this thanks to new screensavers loaded with ads. Using a streaming box like the new Google TV Streamer won’t save you.
LG posted a communiqué to potential advertisers, touting the benefits of showing ads to people even when they weren’t watching TV (via Android Authority). LG’s advertising division suggests these intrusive ads could potentially extend to third-party products and even to older LG OLED TVs.
Forced ads on a $2500 TV are a bad look
Ads on streaming devices and budget TVs have become a little too commonplace, but in many ways these ads are what keep these gadgets affordable. However, forcing such ads on LG’s high-end, premium TV sets is an unexpected twist. Some of these LG OLED and EVO sets can cost thousands of dollars.
For example, tech review outlet Flat Panels HD discovered full-screen ads on an LG G4 OLED TV, which costs nearly $2,400. The ads were promoting LGs own TV service and lasted for several minutes.
Then there’s the issue of the intrusiveness of these ads on high-priced TVs. What should consumers expect from their money, and what is the extent to which advertising should permeate our lives? Customers spending this kind of money often expect an ad-free experience.
Other TV manufacturers are sure to take notice. Expect to see Samsung and Sony jump aboard this particular revenue train if LG’s strategy proves successful. However, a consumer backlash could put an end to such silliness in short order.
How to turn off the ads on an LG TV
Anyone who owns an LG OLED TV could start seeing these ads. There is currently a way to disable them.
- Navigate to Settings on your TV.
- Select Additional Settings.
- Turn off Screen Saver Promotion.
This should do the trick, at least for now.
Streaming services have also increased how much advertising they show, most notably Amazon Prime. Now we can get double the ads, thanks to LG’s latest idea. Do you miss the days of cable television yet?