When Facebook Ads Go Terribly Right
This little targeted ad fail reminded me of a fascinating article I read last month in the New York Times. Where others might have been horrified at the notion that Target knows you’re pregnant before you do, I found it completely intriguing both on a scientific, and a marketing level (after graduation I completed an 8-month stint as a marketing intern and I’ve been interested in the field ever since).
As a consumer, I completely embrace this new “invasion of privacy” so many seem to be leery of. I happily let CVS track my tampon and lipstick purchasing history. It’s a fair trade for the thrill of scanning my Extra Care card and having coupons print out of the red machine in the front of the store.
In high school I worked at Michael’s and the company would frequently do tests in which we had to ask customer’s for their zip codes. The information was used to decide which newspapers to place ads in. It astounded me the amount of people who indignantly told me that I didn’t need their zip code and I couldn’t have it.
What do you think? Are people just inherently nutty, or am I selling my soul to Panera for a free cookie on my loyalty card? All I am sure of, is I don’t want to receive any diaper coupons from Target anytime soon. This baby is all the baby I need for the foreseeable future.
March 29, 2012 @ 8:18 pm
Soul Seller Here! I don’t mind certain information being told, so if it is asked at a store I LOVE then here have my blood type and DNA code. If it is a a store I don’t go to, want to go to again, or I am only here because terrorists have a gun in my back then I use the star wars “this is not the data you are looking for” One time a girl wouldn’t take no for an answer on my phone number so she got 214-867-5309. I always wondered if realized what I told her.
http://www.sweetydarlin.blogspot.com
March 30, 2012 @ 9:05 am
Making something up is better than nothing, actually. When I was a cashier, we couldn’t get past that prompt until we entered *something*. When people refused to give their zip code I just entered my own. More ads for me!
So, yeah, even though I don’t need certain stores having my phone number, I give it just to be nice to the poor cashiers.