Brand America: Don’t Become a Digital Stalker

After a little while, Derren’s mild vacant stare was popping up everywhere. And I mean everywhere: news sites, design sites, YouTube, theoatmeal.com. It was funny at first. But as time passed, I had gone from admiring his drive to being annoyed that he wouldn’t leave me alone. I started to hate him.

This is a perfect example of how the double-edged sword of retargeting can be misused and end up doing more damage than good. Netflix is just one of many brands that have overly embraced retargeting. I have been a subscriber for years, but if I go to its website to sign in, suddenly Netflix ads start following me everywhere. This is irritating enough, but they are also pushing an irrelevant offer: one month free. Am I going to stop using Netflix because of this? No, I love the service (when it works). Does it hurt Netflix’s brand integrity? Maybe. Netflix certainly doesn’t appear to know or care who I am as a loyal customer. Is it a waste of its money and my time? Hell yes!

While retargeting is a powerful tool to nurture a pervious interaction (a click, a site visit or an abandoned shopping cart) into a future action (a purchase or deeper engagement), it is a delicate line that we must not abuse. Derren was just trying to get my attention — and he did an excellent job. If it had ended after a few days, our interaction may not have ended with me having a negative experience. Netflix, on the other hand, is just flaunting its ignorance about me. In both cases, I felt like I was being followed and irritated by someone who clearly didn’t know what I wanted or when to say “when.”

Poorly used retargeting will probably have little negative impact, if any, on Derren’s career. Someone will probably give the kid a job. But retargeting can have more serious effect on brands like Netflix and how their customers — both current and new — perceive them. In today’s world where privacy and anonymity are cherished commodities, having a brand follow you through the ins and outs of your Web surfing is more than annoying — it can be an invasion. It’s one thing to know that you are tracked through the Internet (by cookies, pixels, etc.); it is another thing all together to have it rubbed in your face.

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