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Highlighted a Major Flaw in
Marketing
Tom Chapman • April 10, 2018
The Camridge Analtica scandal has highlighted a major aw
with how we use Faceook for marketing purposes. I recentl
downloaded m data le and although I was surprised some
of the information it contained, such as m previous
relationships, I didn’t nd it particularl shocking.
Man of m fellow marketers felt similar - after all, Faceook
makes its mone through advertising. urel ou can’t e
surprised nding out the organization collects relevant
information?
As evidenced those planning to use Faceook less, or even
stop using it altogether, we were wrong. Clearl, the Camridge
Analtica scandal has deepl a ected the social network’s
customers. Instead of accepting how their data is eing used,
the’re turning against the platform.
As a result, the issue could have huge rami cations for how we
work with Faceook in the future. As well as changing how we
identif and target customers, we could e dealing with a new
data-savv audience, that values privac over everthing else.
Is this the end of targeted advertising?
Unlike our predecessors, we have access to a vast amount of
data. In minutes, we can identif a wide range of statistics aout
our customers and use this to etter structure our campaigns.
This data-led approach forms the ackone of modern
marketing, ut doing this, we forgot aout the needs of the
consumer.
We used this data largel assuming the suject would e ne
with it and proal wouldn’t nd out anwa.
In the words of Dr Ian Malcolm from Jurassic Park:
“Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not the
could, the didn't stop to think if the should.”
In March, Reuters pulished a surve which detailed how
individuals felt aout targeted advertising. Polling more than
2,300 individuals, onl 9% wanted more of it. The majorit
wanted to see less of targeted advertising in the future.
Perhaps indicating a rejection of targeted advertising, numerous
Faceook users have now learned their stored interests help
inform these, and have started deleting them. Although this is
enough to worr man marketers, it gets worse: now these
individuals realize that ads the've clicked on will e tracked and
noted, the could e less likel to do so.
In response to the Camridge Analtica fallout, Faceook has
taken steps to address their customers’ privac concerns, among
them, shutting down their Partner Categories tool. The process
gave advertisers more access to valuale consumer data,
supplementing Faceook's insights with third part information.
For marketers, that sounds like an amazing tool, providing more
insight into our customers. Yet, as this scandal has revealed, it’s
not something the appreciated or wanted.
Is Faceook still worth our time?
Despite the #Deletefaceook movement, Faceook will not
disappear. impl put, it is ‘too ig to fail’. Deleting the platform
just isn’t an option for man users - not to mention the numerous
usinesses which use the network to sell products.
ut although cnics will claim the scandal will low over, users
will forget, and then it will e usiness as usual, we can’t go
ack.
First, we're dealing with a new data-savv reed of customer.
These people have realized the consequences of putting so
much information aout themselves online, and will
susequentl make themselves harder to target. As a result,
advertising on Faceook will remain a viale option, ut in the
long run might not e as e ective as it used to e.
econd, we can use Faceook to foster customer trust
adhering to that (now largel forgotten) lesson of marketing:
“Give the pulic what the want”.
ack to asics: Give the pulic what the want
The Camridge Analtica scandal has highlighted a major aw in
marketing - we stopped treating customers as humans and
instead regarded them as statistics.
It's now clear that customers want privac. Consequentl, we
should make that the cornerstone of our campaigns.
For example, instead of getting someone to adhere to our
complicated terms of service, make it clear what ou’re going to
do with their information. Foster discussions with our customers
aout what advertising the would like to see so the aren’t
surprised the outcome.
At the ver least, those individuals who want targeted
advertising will e satis ed, and those who value privac will
regard ou as more trustworth.
At the end of the da, marketing should e aout listening to
our customers. It’s just something that man have forgotten
how to do.