Research is perhaps one of the most crucial aspects of what makes marketing effective. However, does it ever get to the point where research just becomes another name for “invasion of privacy?” Although some consumers may be appalled by the way some companies invade their privacy, gathering information by “any means necessary” certainly seems like the future of marketing.
Bell Canada is planning to use information from its customers’ accounts to customize ads specifically to each customer. This is achieved by looking through customers’ internet activity, television viewing habits, and phone app usage. Lately, many companies such as Bell and Target have started analysing the behaviour of individual consumers in order to better forecast individual consumers’ future buying behaviours and then implementing effective marketing strategies to accommodate.
Companies such as Bell and Target are able to efficiently accumulate tons of internal secondary data with little costs associated; they are certainly making use of this strength. Data mining allows companies such as Bell and Target to measure trends in consumers’ values, lifestyles, and interests. This framework is key in developing an effective marketing plan. The data they accumulate, allows them to segment consumers based on different segmentation factors, then differentiate their targeting strategies. Through differentiation, these companies are able to control large portions of the market share.
The challenge with having many differentiated target segments, is finding a position that corresponds to the values of all these different segments. Having customized ads really does seem to be the future of marketing. But in this generation, we are taught to question. My question is, “Do stalkers have many close friends?”
Related Links
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html?_r=