(CRIENGLISH.com)
Updated: 2007-12-06 16:50

Car owners usually say it is harder to "raise" a car than just buy it. If there's a chance you could get paid for advertising on your beloved car, would you love to do it?

The number of people answering yes to this question has risen in Shanghai, well implying an arrival of a new consumption concept, local based newspaper the Morning Post reported

Recently Shanghai Zhongchi Company, an exclusive distributor of Dongfeng Peugeot, posted an advertisement on the web, recruiting 20 private car owners who would like to post a car ad on their vehicle. In return, the car owners would get 300 yuan per month as a petrol subsidy and other car maintenance services for free. Zhongchi Company also set clear requirements for the drivers, such as the cars should be driven for at least 1800 km each month during the advertising period and driving regions.

Several days after the ads release, 50 drivers put their hands up for the chance. Facing petrol price hikes, car owners regard "ads on cars" as a way out of the economic burden of "raising" their car.

Ms. Zhu from Zhongchi Company said they eventually selected the 20 drivers, including a sales person, civil servant and white-collar worker. Ms. Zhu added that compared with other traditional media, this new promotional method has the benefits of a low cost and long-lasting effect.

Currently the promotion plan is undergoing relevant government checks. But officials say ads on cars are forbidden for those vehicles with a registered Shanghai license plate, with no restriction on non-shanghai registered cars.

Many other car selling companies and maintenance shops have, however, adopted a cautious attitude towards the new promotion. They say that conflicts will be easily encountered due to immature regulations and rules in this regard, so they would not adopt the method at present.