Advertising Privacy for the Future

Today’s blog is about the launch of the “Advertising Option Icon”, which is displayed near advertisements or on web pages where information is collected for behavioral advertising. The icon is used by a company/website to give consumers better advertising through the collection of people static consumer data. http://www.tamingthebeast.net/blog/web-marketing/advertising-option-icon.htm. I am all for this “Advertising Option Icon” but there is a couple of downsides. First of all, some people feel like it is an invasion of privacy. I understand how people could feel like this but I look at it from the perspective of an FIU Business student. By using static consumer data, companies are going to be able to target the right products to the right people. Instead of seeing advertisements that have no interest to you, you will now being seeing all the things you like and this will increase the chances of you as the consumer to make a purchase. The other downside to this “Advertising Option Icon” is that most consumers will not have any idea as to what this icon stands for and means. Most icons have a shape or a word that makes it distinguishable to people. I believe this program will be much more successful if they change the icon to something that stands for what they are providing to people. Some people, me included, will actually click on it to see what it is all about but it wouldn’t hurt if they redesigned it a little. If it gets popular enough, I believe there will be numerous companies that will be waiting in line to sign up. Every company’s main goal is to increase revenues and by being able to focus advertisements through static consumer data it will be a sure success. I do believe that the sponsoring organizations will have a close eye on online company’s compliance with behavioral advertising rules. Only time will truly tell but the “Advertising Option Icon” might just be the next big internet seal of approval.

Internet Eyes Are Watching

Today’s post is about Internet Eyes, which is online notification system that allows views to watch live CCTV feeds at home to alert a business of shoplifting. Once you register online for the company, if chosen, you only get paid if you stop a crime from happening. I personal would not do this job because the pay is not certain and I could only imagine how boring it would be to monitor a store for hours and see no activity. Internet eyes have great intentions since shoplifting is estimated at 4.88 billion dollars a year. I do believe that additional measures should be taken in order to stop this growing rate.  Untimely we end up paying for shoplifting through cancel taxes, insurance premiums and high prices that we pay at the checkout line. http://interneteyes.co.uk/. The only issue I think Internet Eyes is faced with is people who believe it is an invasion of privacy. I personally believe it makes no difference since you are being watched either way. I believe Britain’s Information Commissioner made a great choice by putting "private profit above personal privacy" http://www.sott.net/articles/show/216042-The-launch-of-CCTV-citizen-spy-game-Internet-Eyes. Even though Internet Eyes are still in there three month trial period I wish them luck and they have my full support.

Social Media Round 1: Harry vs. Boeing

So today’s blog is about how 9 year-old Harry mailed his drawing of an airplane to Boeing corporation and they gave him back a cold response. The plot thickens because Harry's dad happens to be an ad agency CEO. Harry's dad decides to discuss this on his blog and twitter and gets the attention of the online world. I personally believe that Boeing should have handled the situation much better than telling Harry that they don't accept unsolicited ideas. After the word gets out the Boeing Corporation decided to be a little bit more polite with its response and actually started to show they care.

 I believe this was due to the online world and an example of how the online world can put a big corporation in check. In an update to this rejection letter Harry's dad talks about how tens of thousands of people have read his post and hundreds have retweeted it. http://www.johnwinsor.com/my_weblog/2010/05/harry-and-boeing-the-update.html. After all that commotion Boeing got many people involved and tried to fix their image. The future of flight institution invited Harry to host the “Harry Winsor design your own airplane show" and the Museum of flight offered Harry a free tour.

I don't believe that Harry's dad used this as an opportunity to get free publicity but his CEO status did help him succeed. His ability to crowd sourcing to so many people is what made Boeing realize they made a mistake. I personally wouldn't hold anything against Boeing because I believe it was an honest mistake. They are so use to having that corporate mindset that they didn't know any better. Boeing did learn from their mistakes and used this as a learning experience. They did all they could to make the situation better and now know how to interact with people much better. I also don't believe that the airlines will boycott Boeing because it was an honest mistake and no one was really hurt. Harry’s dreams were not crushed; they were only turned into reality. If my kid wanted to mail a drawing into Boeing I would defiantly send it in with the confidence that they will respond in an appropriate manner.

E Marketing With Sean Brooks

This blog is designed to discuss research, discoveries and thoughts about all areas of E- Marketing. My focus is going to be on new advances in marketing technology and how these advances help us grow as a society. Make sure you come back weekly to hear the news!