Would you lease your window space to advertisers to make a few extra bucks?

By Krystle Vermes May 28, 2015

When people need cash, they do some crazy things. One startup in the Netherlands is proving it with a new advertising scheme, according to Fast Company.

The company, Add My Window, is putting a new spin on what it means to view advertisements. It’s allowing city dwellers to rent out their windows as advertising space to make a few extra bucks. Those who choose to do so can make up to 150 Euros (or about $163 U.S. dollars) per window every month. However, they have no say over what’s displayed outside of their homes.

It might sound like it’ll never catch on, but Add My Window says that seven advertisers are already using 31 window spaces in four cities across the Netherlands. Currently, there are 283 windows that have been made available for advertising throughout these cities.

If it seems tacky, take the methodology into consideration. First, the advertisements are printed onto large stickers. Then, they are placed on the inside of the windows. The stickers are not completely opaque – you can still get filtered light through them in your home. However, they are opaque to viewers from the outside, meaning no one can see inside.

On the Add My Window website, the company promotes the benefits of its service, one of which is the elimination of the need for curtains. The placement of the ads over windows makes “curtains obsolete,” according to the startup.

Additionally, it’s all completely legal. Add My Window says it only operates in cities where its type of advertising is allowed under local regulations. Although you can’t choose the ads that go on your windows, Add My Window says they will never put up discriminatory or sexist ads.

While it’s nice to have these guarantees, only time will tell how many city dwellers in the Netherlands will buy into Add My Window. So far, the growth process seems slow.

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Krystle Vermes is a professional writer, blogger and podcaster with a background in both online and print journalism. Her…

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