Behavioral Targeting Backlash?

Backlash or confusion? A recent eMarketer article cites the rise in consumer backlash toward behavioral targeting employed by advertisers. As marketers increasingly fight the tide of diminishing advertising reach and effectiveness, behavioral targeting continues to increase as a way to increase relevancy and engagement. This then fuels consumer backlash.

Some context:
Facebook privacy concerns or "buzz" continue grow - especially in light of the new concern over Facebook's new privacy policy and the "everyone setting" that enables Facebook posts to be searchable by Google or anywhere on the Internet and not just those logged into Facebook. This has been very recently amplified by Google's new competition to Facebook - Google Buzz, and privacy concerns around this.

So what is a marketer to do? And how about the pharma marketer who is even more constrained by FDA regulations and consumer negativity? Stay calm, stay focused, and stay relevant. eMarketer's article goes on to say that some of the consumer "hostility" may be driven by confusion. When people are ill informed or misinformed about the implications and use of data collection, then it's reasonable if not expected for people to be confused or resentful. Perception is reality - as eMarketer goes on to state. I couldn't agree more. As marketers our obligation is around providing not only greater transparency and education around data collection - but on crafting and communicating a welcomed value proposition. If we illuminate the reciprocal value to our target audiences - e.g., increased content or tools that help them in their quest, then the value exchange is defined.

As I stated in a prior post on targeting, it's all in the context and execution. Behavioral targeting makes sense given the right relevancy, context and value exchange - and planning that out in advance is key. But we still can't expect everyone to welcome this, but at lease those who may be more open to this value exchange will not feel alienated.