BMW is drawing criticism from its customers for displaying advertisements for the new Spider-Man movie, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," on the infotainment touchscreens of its vehicles. The promotion, part of a partnership with Sony-Marvel, has been met with dissatisfaction by drivers who view it as an unwelcome intrusion.
The "Spider-Man Animation" was made available as a "special surprise" for drivers in participating markets from July 27 to August 10. According to BMW, activating the animation involved a banner appearing on the Control Display when starting the car, which, when clicked, would launch a full-screen animation accompanied by music and ambient lighting effects. This feature required vehicles equipped with specific optional equipment and running BMW Operating System 7, 8, 8.5, 9, or BMW Operating System X, manufactured after July 2020.
Owners have voiced their discontent on platforms like Reddit, with users expressing dismay at receiving advertisements in luxury vehicles costing tens of thousands of dollars. One user posted, "Paying 50-100k for a car, yet still getting ads..." The advertisement appears when the car is stationary and requires an additional step to dismiss, which some drivers find inconvenient as it delays access to their desired infotainment or navigation functions.
While BMW stated the feature is not a form of advertising but rather an optional, themed animation from their "Festive App," and confirmed it can be skipped and is only visible when the car is stationary, the nature of the rollout has aggravated customers. The promotion is not available in the UK and Ireland, but similar "festive" animations have appeared throughout the year in other regions.
This incident echoes previous customer dissatisfaction with BMW's business model, including a 2022 controversy where the company introduced a subscription service for features like heated seats that were already built into the vehicles. The current BMW Digital Premium subscription, which offers access to an extended range of apps and infotainment services, costs £9.59 monthly or £99 annually, with its trial period recently reduced from three months to one. Concerns have been raised by some owners that future features or ad-free experiences may also become part of a subscription model, with one Reddit user speculating, "You'll need iDrive Extra Premium to go ad free."
The "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" film has achieved significant commercial success, grossing over $1 billion worldwide, making it the second-fastest movie to reach that milestone.