I was listening to NPR today as they discussed how individuals are tracked on the Internet, and then companies match that data up with public records and know who you really are. I also read an article that discussed how Target tracks purchases made with bank cards, figures out stuff about you, and then markets directly to you according to what they know. In the example, Target had sent a mailer created specifically for pregnant women to a 17-year-old girl. Her father was outraged that they would send it to a teenager. Then his daughter confessed that she was pregnant. Target knew because of what she was buying- and it wasn't baby stuff, and it made Target sound really creepy.
It seems like advertisers know far more about us than we guess. So after thinking about this in the morning, I was really surprised by what I found in our mail this afternoon. Nick got a special envelope in the mail, from Camel Tobacco. He has never smoked, and he's not about to start. I guess they don't know as much as I thought.
2 comments:
That is so creepy. But I was just thinking today- that since I didn't enter my rewards number at smith's i didn't get my coupons- until they had to reimburse me for the card- $13.00! Why can't I just get things on sale anymore? gotta follow my activity to see what I am buying and suggest I think outside my 'normal' with additional coupons..ugh.
Iread the Target story too and I think it's pretty cool. The info that they colllect and analyze is used only for their profit and if that gets me $3 off diapers I already buy, even better.
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