Privacy Is So 1999

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By now most of us have accepted a fact of the digital age: if, say, we write the word "eyeglasses" in the body of an email, advertisements for LensCrafters will most likely pop up on our computer screens soon. Also, if we visit our favorite brand, we'll likely see the brand "follow us" with targeted display advertisements on many sites, including Yahoo. Some of these acts have been seen as a violation of privacy and several class action lawsuits have now been filed.

I might be in the minority, but I'm willing to give up my privacy. If a company can make sense of my buying behaviors and buying needs, I welcome it. I can use all the help I can get finding the right gift for my mom and other loved ones. I will share everything if a company can process the vast amounts of data available in the digital age and determine the perfect offer.

Big data is the challenge facing us as marketers. The general population doesn't want to share data since marketers aren't living up to their end of the bargain. Although a marketer has a plethora of data on the consumer, the marketing message continues to be underwhelming. It is usually irrelevant, lacks personalization, and is worthless. Email marketers can be some of the biggest offenders. Since the channel has an incredible return on investment (ROI), relevancy isn't necessary to return a profit. Furthermore, since email has traditionally been outsourced and removed from the core data sources, the communication channel is limited in its effectiveness. By harnessing the data, email marketers have a unique opportunity to reach the individual with the perfect offer.

For the right offer, I'll tell you everything!