adbread

We've all seen the back of a bus ticket or car-park ticket with a message similar to "You could have advertised here!" and thought "Why would I? No-one else has bothered!"

The fact is, though, that you have noticed the message. Advertisers are coming around to this concept, called ambient advertising, in a big way. So many surfaces in public spaces are filling up with advertising, and FHM magazine are rumoured to have had plans to even project an image onto the moon. (An image of Jennifer Lopez's substantial rear, no less)

So how can we, the consumers, benefit from this? Simple! Take an object that is considered private property and introduce it to the public space by making it free. And allow the supplier to benefit financially by covering it with adverts.

Like bread, for example. So many families are struggling to make ends meet, why not give them their bread for free? Free sliced bread, with an advert (made with edible food dyes) on every slice. Adbread!

The baker can dye the bread in the same way that "holiday rock" is dyed with Brighton (or similar). For this service, the advertiser pays handsomely and his advert is on every plate and in every lunchbox in the catchment area of that bakery.

But, you may ask, how can these families on the breadline afford to buy the products advertised on the bread? Well, maybe they can't, but there are enough well-off families who will be willing to take free adbread instead of paying for boring, plain bread. And what do they see every meal time? "Drink Coke!"

Governments could even use adbread to promote healthy living. "Remember to brush your teeth after this sandwich!" and "Is that low-fat butter you're putting on me?"

Politicians will be delighted to distribute free adbread at election time: "Vote for Sir Bob!" and so forth.