Personalization

Ebony Chappel

Personalization

Personalization is defined as being; the customization of products and or services for individuals on a large scale. We can see the evidence of personalization all across our digital and multimedia sphere. At any given moment consumers are organizing digital music playlists, cueing up television shows, adjusting preferences on social media profiles, amongst other things all according to their own personal tastes.

I noticed a while back that my computer seemed to be speaking to me and it somehow knew what I wanted before I had even asked. This of course was a bit offsetting at first but I have learned to be more comfortable with it and it has even stirred up the curious cat in me.

Some of the things I wondered were:

· Why is this information useful to companies?

· How is this information organized?

· What demographic breakdowns are significant in this situation?

(age, race, sex, etc.)

Why is this Information Useful?

The goal of every company is to convince consumers to use their product, be satisfied, and continue to use them, thus building brand loyalty. The Internet is an invaluable source as far as this is concerned. According to NAS Recruitment Communications; in 2009 over half of American households had high-speed Internet. [1] Studies have also shown that consumers in younger age demographics tend to spend more time online as opposed to in front of the television, which would explain what their primary source of both entertainment and information is.

It should go without saying here that having a strong online presence is a must for any company that plans on staying on a first name basis with today’s consumer. Social media such as Facebook have created a platform for businesses to interact with the consumer first hand. However, social media pundits such as Jay Baer of Convince & Convert, find that customization, on Facebook in particular, is a ‘wasted effort’. [2]

“The time, money, and overall exertion being spent on customizing Facebook fan pages is largely misspent. The fact is that in almost every case, the one and only time your fans visit your Facebook page is when they initially “like” the page. After that, all touch points between the brand and the fan are conducted in the Facebook News Feed.”

– Jay Baer

Although there is a valid point being made here about the significance of customization, I would not discount its importance in this way. To rely solely on this web presence is not what I believe the goal is with companies. It is a compliment to what is already happening if nothing else.

By convincing consumers to become fans and participate in this synergy between buyer and seller, businesses are able to key in on what it is that we want and also what we could do without. For example, I became a fan of St. Ives on Facebook and by doing so I was able to find out about new products and also get links to coupons and special offers. The absolute best feature had to be the direct back and forth communication with St. Ives. I could log on and write on their page about a product I love that has unfortunately been discontinued and receive a timely reply message with an answer and also a suggestion to help fill the void of that particular missing toiletry.

Another personal example of mine would have to be an unsatisfactory experience at a local Taco Bell. I tweeted about the poor service on my Twitter profile and I immediately had Taco Bell begin to follow my tweets. This sort of symbiotic relationship between buyer and seller makes customization and personalization even more significant, useful, and desirable in every facet of digital life. By broadcasting what we like and how we like it via social platforms, advertisers become better suited to cater to our every need.

How is this Information Organized

A fairly unknown company [x+1] Inc. knows far more about you currently then you currently know about them. I know that last statement may have come across a bit cryptic but the entire process by which they acquire this information is also

"We never don't know anything about someone,"

John Nardone, [x+1]'s chief executive

According to their website, [x+1] “works with brands, agencies and media companies to determine the most valuable customer attributes (those characteristics that indicate who is most likely to respond favorably) and then interact with those people when and where they are online.” [3]

Initially, after reading about [x+1], I was worried about being prejudged according to some company’s calculations about what type of customer I am and whether or not I was worthy of a company’s time or effort. After realizing what the future holds for my desired field of work however, I was pretty excited at all the possibilities. According to a Wall Street Journal investigation

“the analytical skill of data handlers like [x+1] is transforming the Internet into a place where people are becoming anonymous in name only. The findings offer an early glimpse of a new, personalized Internet where sites have the ability to adjust many things—look, content, prices—based on the kind of person they think you are.” [4]

The topic of price discrimination also came up although it is illegal in terms of race, religion, gender, and marital status among other things. This does not stop race from becoming a customization criterion in other situations. In a February press release, Verizon Wireless, revealed their plans for a campaign geared at African-Americans, based on research surrounding trends in customization. [5]

“Extensive market research in key African-American consumer markets guided the development of the campaign. Findings showed that African-American consumers have a long history of customizing and personalizing their environments, from music and other artistic expressions to fashion to personal living spaces and more. As a result, Verizon's new campaign, with the theme "Personalize Life," portrays ways in which African-Americans can customize products and services from Verizon to fit their lifestyle and their needs.”

After further hunting, it seems as if Verizon has altogether abandoned their campaign, which is unfortunate in my opinion. I do feel, however, that continuing to use lifestyle choices as opposed to racial identity could prove to be better for creating effective strategies on how to market to a specific consumer group.

Personalization and customization is not about what is going to happen. It is what is happening right now. The synergistic and symbiotic ties between the single consumer and the single producer of goods and/or services is extremely fascinating and will continue to create more opportunities for perfecting our day to day experiences.

1. "Internet Usage in the United States." www.nasrecruitment.com . N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov 2010. http://www.nasrecruitment.com/docs/white_papers/Internet_Usage_United_States.pdf

2. Baer, Jay. "Digital Sharecropping – Why Most Facebook Customization is Wasted Effort." Convince&Convert , October 27, 2010. Web. 14 Nov 2010. .

3. "About Us." [x+1]. X Plus One , n.d. Web. 15 Nov 2010. .

4. Steel, Emily . "On the Web's Cutting Edge, Anonymity in Name Only." Wall Street Journal August 4, 2010: n. pag. Web. 15 Nov 2010. .

5. "Verizon Launches New African-American Ad Campaign That Touts Customization." PR Newswire February 14, 2010: n. pag. Web. 15 Nov 2010. .