The power of data in marketing

Published May 2, 2014 at 10:17 am

Data has been playing an increasingly large role in our lives, especially as social media sites like Facebook are able to collect information about users and use it to tailor advertising.

A recent marketing campaign by game maker Ubisoft plays on this idea in a very real way. “Digital Shadow” is the new campaign for the company’s upcoming game “Watch Dogs,” which is set to be released in late May. The game is about technology and warfare based on information, a concept that seems increasingly relevant given the amount of data available available about individuals today.

The campaign allows users to log in to Facebook through the Digital Shadow website, where they are presented with a breakdown of information based on their available data. Some of this information includes things like potential salary range, tagged photos and geographical locations, and the program even generates possible passwords based on your available information.

As the Huffington Post points out, the campaign creates a character profile, and shows the friends you’ve interacted with the most, including ones that you may or may not have been “stalking,” and those who have been checking out your profile frequently. However, the results you receive depend on the strength of your Facebook privacy settings.

The marketing twist is that the campaign creates a user profile that is similar to the target profile created in the game. Of course, users have the opportunity to share this post via Facebook, generating buzz about the game.

The campaign is clever in and of itself, however, it shows the impact that data can have in profiling users and pinpointing their interests. Data can be a valuable asset when determining consumer desires and attitudes, helping marketers to create more finely-targeted campaigns.