It's nothing new, advertising hitting you wherever you turn. On the readout at the gas pump as you're filling up your car. Above the urinal in the men's room. Even on the sticker on that bunch of bananas you bought the other day. Just when you think there's no place left to plaster an ad — bam! they fill another seemingly innocuous blank space.
This latest space is prime real estate, too: the cursor on your computer screen, courtesy of Comet Systems. The Internet start-up company recently debuted a product that can change your computer cursor into company logos, symbols, anything — on Comedy Central's Web site, it's the always-being-killed Kenny from “South Park” (see story, page 21).
Better yet, for direct marketers, is 1-800-Flowers' plan to have the cursor become flowers that feature special offers, give care-and-handling instructions or make gift suggestions as you move it across the screen. It may prove more effective than those banner ads that can be so easily ignored — your eye is always following your cursor.
Granted, the Ralph Naders out there will surely have something to say about this, but let 'em. Several big companies have licensed the technology, so you can bet we'll be seeing more dead Kennys and the like.
