Changes in Internet Tracking Abilities

by Natalie Bell

Have you ever noticed that ads on the side of your web browser page seem to fit you personally? This is because browsers and sites track the pages you visit, what you click on, and what pages you "like." This may be news to some, but it's been occurring for quite some time now.

I first noticed it this summer when researching competition for Gracie's Fruit Innovations, a new client. All of a sudden the ads on the side of Facebook's pages were all fruit related. This continued until I worked on research for a countertop company. My ads switched to home remodeling. Later Saint Mary's University Pathways Program signed on as a new client and I was putting together a report to help structure their up-and-coming Facebook page. To do this I visited and analyzed other schools' pages over and over again. One day I noticed that the ads on the side of Facebook's page were entirely education-based. With each client project my ads changed to a new, completely unrelated topic. Try it yourself and you'll see! Search something on Facebook, Google, or other sites that you normally wouldn't research. Odds are you'll see your search topic pop up in more and more internet advertisements.

If you are going to try this experiment, you'd better do it sooner rather than later; the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) has made moves to ban tracking of web use for most purposes. Each specific browser (Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer) is installing a Do-Not-Track button that allows users to easily opt-out of being tracked. This option has always been available, but has been difficult to find how to change this specific setting. New, easy setting features will automatically be included in upgrades and downloads of browsers by the end of 2012.

Limitations to the Do-Not-Block features, as with most things, are present. Browsers can use your web usage for market research, product creation, and when requested by law enforcement. What the feature really blocks is your information being used to create targeted ads and to be sold to companies for anything besides market research. For example, no longer can browsing information be sold to insurance, credit, or healthcare companies for any other purpose.

Do-Not-Track features will change how companies target audiences. Browsing information gives advertisers the ability to create extremely specific target markets. Depending on what a user is looking at, a different ad will appear on their page. This creates a higher chance that the user is interested and clicks on the advertisement. Now these organizations will have to create promotions that apply to a wider audience with a lower chance of clicking. This agreement gives the public peace of mind, but a challenge for marketers.

Hyundai Reaches to "Thinkers" With Digital Campaign

In an original attempt to create an impressive viral campaign, Hyundai is inching away from "car-talk" into "personality-talk." Launching off their brand motto, "new thinking, new possibilities," the automotive company launched an international digital campaign called the "New Thinkers Index." It centers around 22 four-minute videos that highlight the thought processes of actors, musicians, sports stars and other creative thinkers. Viewers are also invited to take a test to see where they fall on the thinker's index. (Are you a "word smart," "self-aware," "musical," "visual," or a "natural thinker?")

Jonathan Oliver, senior digital strategist at Microsoft Advertising, which developed the campaign with Hyundai, said, "We're not shifting cars, we're shifting thinking -- moving the needle on people's perceptions of Hyundai as a brand. Everyone knows the brand, but Hyundai needs to increase the brand love. This isn't shouting it from the rooftops, it's aligning the positioning to desirable content in a subtle way."

I'll admit, it's a beautiful campaign that highlights great thinking and collaboration among talented individuals. The thinker's index test is also a fun component. However, will consumers be able to see the connection between the campaign and the brand? Do they even need to? Some may end up questioning where the auto and consumer relevance is. While others may believe it's a good thing that brands are stretching their identity. I believe Hyundai is doing what marketing is all about; connecting with the person. They're not just selling a car, they're getting your attention.

What do you think?

Interns or VPs: Should Passion Trump Experience?

A while back, I held the position that interns should clearly not tweet on behalf of a company. And if companies are looking to hire social media interns, what should the criterion be? Jay Baer of the Convince and Convert blog brings up a valuable argument about the issue of being passionate – as opposed to my formerly held view: experience.

I’d still be biting my fingers to suggest that an intern should be the social media point person or spokeperson, which is why I’ve bawked at several companies hiring ‘social media’ interns instead of holistic learning and involvement recurring at all levels.

BUT if you are passionate about social media, should that be more important than experience? Do interactive marketing VPs know more about site infrastructure and less about building conversations online ? Are there search-marketing analysts who can provide sound strategies on e-commerce distribution channels and not necessarily sound strategies on how to build a Facebook Page that will act as a mechanism to promote FREE product giveaways? Do C-suite level executives understand the importance of FREE STUFF in general anyway? Southwest Airlines does. Coke does. Why do they get it and so many companies don’t? Who’s running the show and does that really matter?

In the summer of last year, I learned more from the online behaviors of one of Axiom’s interns who had a real passion for social media than I have from listening to a VP of Digital Marketing for a leading integrated PR/advertising agency. While this intern had some experience, he didn’t boast 20 years like the other guy did. He just had passion and that was enough to really listen to him.

Suddenly, 20 years of the baby boomer methods become somewhat obsolete and Gen Y soon take the lead as the most sought-after contributors to the social media space that... actually know how to keep fans on a Facebook Page, provide comment-geared content for a blog, acquire 2,000 followers on Twitter by simply talking more off-brand than on-brand – a strategy that is looked down upon by most experienced brand marketers. So regarding experience, I stand corrected when it comes to truly knowing social communities.

Who are we listening to now that social media is never going to go away? Gen Y interns or baby boomer VPs?