There was an article I read last week, I think in The Wall Street Journal, (always a safe guess) that went on and on about some of advertising marvels that digital television will make possible. For example, advertisers will be able to tailor their messages geographically, right down to the zip code level. And we all know how much marketers love to “target” down to the most granular level.
As an illustration, the article showed how a message from Ted, United’s discount airline, could be served up in one market as: “Barrington, say hello to Ted”, while viewers ten miles away would see: “Arlington Heights, say hello to Ted”. To borrow a phrase from a friend and fellow student of advertising, Kristi Faulkner: “Talk about creative ‘options’!”
There’s just one small fly in the ointment.
Who in the hell, zip code 666 I assume, wants to “say hello to Ted”? It’s an airline, not your long-lost uncle. But somehow, the folks at Ted think this scintillating message registers even higher on the old scintillometer (yes, there is such a thing) when it comes addressed to you personally.
I know I sound like a CD with grape jelly fingerprints on it, but I don’t care if it reads “Mr. Thinks He’s So Smart Silveira, Blood Type A, Rh-, Chicago, IL 60601, say hello to Ted”, it’s still a message of very little interest. Which like an arrow that’s missing its point will hit the target and bounce right off it.
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