How Marketers Want To Trick Mobile Operators Into Letting Them Spam You
from the sneaky,-sneaky dept
For quite some time now, we've covered the various ridiculous attempts by bad marketers to figure out how to start spamming mobile phones. They don't quite seem to grasp the idea that mobile phone spamming is significantly more intrusive and annoying than traditional email spamming -- and people already absolutely hate that kind of spamming. Since people have their mobile phones all the time, even when not actively using it, a mobile phone spam can really interrupt lots of other activities. At the same time, it can often cost the user money. So, while it's no surprise that they want to spam people, many (though, certainly not all) mobile operators have at least realized that it's probably a bad idea to let it happen. However, the spammers can be sneaky, and the latest ploy is to try to convince mobile operators to hand over subscriber info for spamming purposes using a bit of backwards logic. The marketers are telling mobile operators that they should give up subscriber data in order to make sure users get less spam-like notifications. Makes no sense? Here's the quote: "Please release the data to us so we can target our campaigns and make them as relevant as possible. If carriers want that ad revenue, they'll have to release that data." Basically, they're saying that they're going to spam users one way or another, but if the operators cough up all your data, then they can at least try (and, most likely, fail) to target the ads a bit (oh yes, and to kick back some money to the operator). Of course, these users haven't requested the ads and most likely don't want them at all, targeted or not. The marketing folks need to rethink mobile advertising and realize that it can't be intrusive in any way. Not even "opt-in" messaging makes sense, because someone may want a message now, but they won't want it tomorrow. For something potentially so intrusive, mobile operators need to learn to accept advertising that users pull. That is, make it easy for people to request the info for that one time only. This can be tied to an advertisement elsewhere (billboard, poster, magazine, TV, etc.) or just having people know to request info when needed -- but every time should be user-initiated. And, for that, advertisers certainly don't need mobile operators to cough up everyone's subscriber data.
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Targeted Ads
Meaning, I would disagreed with the notion that people don't want targeted ads. When done really well, people love them.. the HUGE BUT is the part about doing it well.. You have to know the person well enough, that the ads are actually well targeted.
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Dear Gary Towning of OgilvyOne Worldwide
I have therefore decided to blacklist any company sending me spam. I'll also blacklist the advertising company. I won't do business with anybody who doesn't respect my privacy.
Plus, the 404 page at http://www.ogilvyone.com/ is rather stupid, since that's the name of your own department. At least auto redirect.
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Re: Targeted Ads
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Re: Dear Gary Towning of OgilvyOne Worldwide
I'll be pissed at my carrier and will most likely switch to another if they sell my data.
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Re: Dear Gary Towning of OgilvyOne Worldwide
First, I will switch carriers. If that fails, I will turn my phone off for incoming calls. If that fails, I will place it in my glove box for emergency use and switch to per-use plan.
Let's see how profitable this can become!
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Will it ever stop?
A good example: I hate that I pay money for a DVD only to be forced to watch previews of other movies that I can buy before I get to the main menu so I can actually see the content I purchased.
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Re: Targeted Ads
If they know me well enough they will know to never..ever spam my inbox/spam my mobile/send me junk mail/telemarket me/stop me in the street to sell me something....ever. I HATE being told what i need to buy/donate my money to/which religion to follow etc. etc.
"people love them"
WHO?!?! no-one I know...
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Re: Targeted Ads
free phones and maybe even free phone service in exchange for accepting spam.
It's inevitable, I tell ya!
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Re: Targeted Ads
In response to other posts here:
If my provider allows phone SPAM, I'll be first in line telling them to stop, or I will not be using their service any longer; oh and that payment (for messages received that were not requested or from a known sender) will not be forth coming since they are probably making some profit from said SPAM anyway.
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A use for ringtones
As for what I want, absolutely no marketing calls on my cell - targeted or otherwise. A big motivator for dropping my land line what that it was a magnet for unwanted calls.
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Grow you cellphone antenna naturally
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Re: Targeted Ads
WHO?!?! no-one I know...
People love targeted ads that they opt-in to, because they always give a benefit (specific information, special deals and so on).
If the ads haven't been specifically requested, they're not targeted enough to be sent.
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