I See the Future of Online Ads
March 22, 2008 – 1:53 pmI wish it was true. Every time I look to the future of online advertisement all I see is a foggy horizon. I know that big changes are once more about to happen but is hard to tell which way we are going to take.
Yesterday, I read a article on New York Times about a assemblyman trying to pass a bill that tries to limit the tracking of web surfers’ clicks. That would make it a crime, punishable by a fine, for certain Web companies to use personal information about consumers for advertising without their consent. If it passed, surfers will have the option to ask to not be followed around.
According to DMNews, Microsoft, Google and AOL are already getting ready to meet with New York assemblyman Richard Brodsky to discuss the bill and I think this will be unlikely to pass without major changes. For me, the bill is a big confused worry about privacy, just something to bring our attention to the subject.
Now we have something to think about: In one hand we have users more and more concerned about privacy and on the other hand we have companies thinking that personal information is the new tool of the century to market their product. Companies never had so much personal information available.
With twitter and Facebook status and others, companies are almost capable of knowing what we think, what we desire. And it is not only in the consumer relations, with the way the web works now we can develop powerful tools to help us in business relations. Think about that: You are a procurement manager for a big company and you are negotiating a contract of $100M with your supplier. What would you help to negotiate with him? I’ve been a procurement specialist and I tell you I would love to know if anyone in my company were friends with my suppliers, even if it was my doorman. I don’t care, I would put them on the table, right next to me, and suddenly I would have a better bond and that would give me a better contract. With the power of social network I would know what to talk about with them, where to take them. I would increase by at least 80% my chances to please the people with who I negotiate with.
The way I see it, this is a big thing and I decided to do a little search and yes, the new york times created a big buzz about it.
ReadWriteWeb on this subject remembered us about Feacebook Beacon. The first time anyone said NO to a company abusing privacy to sell stuff. Actually, beacon could be a great thing if they didn’t screw it big time like they did.
Bernard also states in his post that Behavioral Targeting is currently the best game in town for big budget consumer branding. It is mature, works and all the big Ad Networks have a variant.
I have to disagree with him. Behavioral Targeting is far from being mature and yes all the networks are using it but they are far from using the full potential of it. Worst, advertisers are not pleased with the results they are getting. That is why we don’t know what the future of online ads holds, we can not even predict it, only wild guesses can be taken. We know that advertisement is more than ever heading into costumers’ personal life and that will raise big privacy issues. What behold the future is the way we are going to handle each one of them and a bill is definitively not the answer.
The future is foggy but we are the agents; big opportunities in front of us. The demand is right there screaming for help. Bring in your ideas and develop your tools.
