Posted by: Paul.Christ
on Oct 27, 2009
Cookies Sound Sweet but They Can Be Risky (USA Today)
More than likely a large majority of people who browse the Internet know they are being watched or at least their computer is being watched . They know, for instance, that websites can follow where they go on a site, though users may not fully understand what type of information is being gathered. But while people know they are being monitored, few know what methods websites use to get their information. This story lays out one important way websites track users through the use of digital cookies. The story also offers ideas for protecting users when they visit sites using tracking information in ways that some may consider as being unethical.
Cookies track where you have gone online and are stored on your hard drive. The websites you visit tap into those cookies so they can tailor promotions to you or retrieve data such as your credit card information.
Most major sites have privacy statements discussing their use of cookies and other tracking methods but what percentage of visitors to a website, such as Amazon or Yahoo, ever read the privacy statement? Should these statements be more visible?
Posted by: Paul.Christ
on Oct 27, 2009
Kids' Cereals Pour on the Sugar and Sodium (USA Today)
Here is a scathing research report that has some marketers in the U.S. scurrying for cover. Not only is it produced by a credible research center, it also has the resources to be well publicized (it was picked up by many media outlets). The report titled Evaluating the Nutrition Quality and Marketing of Children’s Cereal by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University challenges the marketing activates of major cereal manufacturers by looking at how they direct their marketing campaigns (see more about this research at this website). The results are not pretty for the manufacturers. The full report offers excellent insight into how cereal is marketed including a look at how promotional activities take place through television, in-store and Internet.
The average preschooler sees 642 cereal ads a year on TV. Most are for types with the worst nutrition ratings.
The report calls for U.S. government regulation for how cereal is promoted to children. What is the likelihood that this will happen?
Posted by: Paul.Christ
on Oct 11, 2009
Online Marketing Research: It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times (FastCompany)
The use of online research panels has for some time received bad reviews from serious marketing researchers who have questioned the validity and reliability of this form of research. Their key complaint has to do with who participates in these panels and what their real motivation is to be part of a panel. This is particularly a problem when online participants are rewarded for their efforts such as receiving cash or other incentives. Now several big marketing companies are pushing to find out how good the information really is that comes from online panels.
While most fill out surveys to be heard, those who take surveys for the money turn out to be less diligent about filling out the survey. Certain research panels tend to give outright cash gifts which attract more of those people.
How can the results of panels cited in the story be consistent when replicating their own research but show inconsistency across panels (i.e., when the results of one panel are compared to another)?