Dear John Letter to Advertisers
[BREAK UP WITH ADVERTISING! SIGN THE DEAR JOHN LETTER BY COMMENTING.]
Dear Advertiser,
It’s me, your consumer. We need to talk. Things have to change between us. We’ve drifted apart. I feel like our relationship is strained. Dysfunctional even. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed.
It’s not me – it’s you. Honestly.
It’s become pretty clear that you don’t get me. Or respect me as an individual. You surely don’t respect my time. You constantly bombard me with ad after ad – most of them completely irrelevant to anything in my life. You interrupt me every chance you get. You try to dictate and monopolize my time. It’s all about you, you, you. I’m smothered AND I’m bored. Not a good combination.
You don’t respect my privacy. You gather, buy, and sell data about me behind my back. Aggregating this, algorithm-ing that. What is that about? Without my permission or knowledge, you sneak cookies on my machine to track my every move. It’s creepy. I need you to back off.
Is it any wonder that I have grown more distant? Yes, I am avoiding you. I don’t watch TV or listen to radio anymore. Or if I do, I use my DVR like Caller ID to skip right past your message. Because I don’t want to hear from you.
So, I’m spending more and more time online, where I feel more in control. Where people understand me. Where I can buy and download my movies, shows, and songs, without your relentless, irrelevant interruptions. Where I can block your pop-ups and delete your cookies. (But I’ll never forgive you for SPAM. Never.)
I think if you search yourself deep down, you will agree that our relationship has not been that great for you either. How many millions of dollars do you waste every day sending me messages that either don’t apply to me, or that I just ignore? How often do you wonder – “Am I getting through? What does my consumer think about me?” Let’s face it, you deserve better too.
We have tried it your way for a few decades now, and, I think you would agree, it’s just not working out for either of us. I don’t want to be tied down to something that isn’t right for me. And you don’t want to reach out to someone not right for you.
So I’m sorry, but I just can’t go back to the way things were. That part of my life is over. I am moving on.
I have a proposition for you. Let’s try this…
I am creating a MeFile. And in that MeFile I am spelling out what I am all about and exactly what I’m looking for in an advertiser. Specifically. Authentically. Think of it like a profile for an online match-making service where I am matched up with ads about things I could actually want, care about, live with. If I am right for you, and you are right for me, you can reach me through my MeFile.
I understand your job here, and I know that you need my attention to do it. Now, I am giving you a better way to get it – directly from me. So if you want my attention, I am sure we can work something out. Just you and me.
I hope you’ll take advantage of this opportunity. Actually, I am insisting. The ball’s in your court.
OOO (but no XXX),
Me, Your Consumer
535 Comments
Reader Comments (535)
Here is a great article on what some of the other big companies are doing. This smacks of a lot of "back pedaling" on their parts, but definitely emphasizes the desire on the part of users to not be "spied upon" or forced to see ads..... take a look at the link http://www.aol.com.au/news/story/Yahoo-to-let-visitors-decline-more-targeted-ads/828031/index.html for more info.
I've been hesitant to put ads on my own site, Jessica Knows, because of the irrelevance and intrusiveness of some of them. At the same time, I watch my traffic roll in and wish there was a way to leverage that, to monetize. What to do? What to do? Now I not only can empower my blog but empower my readers, who are savvy, sharp moms and the people who love them, too!
YouData, you get me. You get my readers. And for that, I sign off with O's AND X's. Mwah!
xoxo
Jessica Knows
Add my signature, please!
Nearly two years ago I'd have stood up, thrown my hands into the air, and given a nice loud "Hell yes!" after having read this. Maybe even thrown in a "Hallelujah!" for good measure. OK, and a "Woooo!", too. But after launching a blog and placing advertising on it -- and reaping the benefits of that advertising -- my position in life is shifting.
Uncomfortably, in a sense.
I've always been a staunch believer in total privacy, complete anonymity online, and so on. But advertising really is what makes a lot of the great content available on the Web possible. Yes, there's the odd exception here or there but for every community/donation driven site that is successful, there's a battlefield full of the remains of countless losers.
I'd love to see a balance develop. Right now, in my opinion, online advertising isn't too bad. Maybe it could be scaled back a bit. As long as it doesn't increase in intrusiveness beyond this point I'll be okay. But Web users out there need to get rid of the ad blocking extensions, too.
Me from two years ago is cringing at what I just wrote. Me, today, is feeling all grown up.
Precision marketing at it's finest.
My favorite line is, "It's not me. It's you." Great.
Sign me up! :-)
The idea behind this is so much more intriguing than generic adds on everything. This feature is actually inviting and makes me want to click on some adds more often. Way to go!
This is terrific! I'm in!
I love it! This is an awesome idea!
I saw a tweet from Gabrielle of Kirtsy, so I filled out a mefile profile last night.
Amen. I find myself avoiding by muting any and every commercial, and turning off advertising period. It gets old... unless I like it.
Love the creative approach of this letter. Love the whole idea of the MeFile. Finally, something catered to my interests and needs.
Stroke of genius! No more Cialis ads for us! Yipee!
Sign me up. This is a great concept!
Yes! This is fantastic!
I'm sick of the stupid random ads on my blog so count me in.
Count me in!
Sorry Advertisers! I've signed. :-)
Count me in! :)