A Consumer's View
Published February 04, 2010
I’m a very busy 35 year old. I’m not married, and I do have a life partner. I’m a baker, a foodie, and a runner, so I can enjoy food and eat what I want when I want to. I work a better part of 60 hours per week as a professional woman in corporate America. I have no children of my own, but I’m a great aunt who truly enjoys her two nephews and three nieces. I live in the city that never sleeps and have a very active lifestyle.
As I leave my office anxiously trying get home, I can’t avoid a billboard outside my building and then pass some advertisement on a bus shelter. At that very instant - “Ding” - there is something else wanting my attention. It’s a text message from my sister asking me if I want to be “taken on” by her in Scrabble. Ahh, she has no idea that I am in a competitive mood tonight! I actually consider pulling out the mobile app right there to play until I realize that I was distracted in the middle of the street! I say to myself, okay, let’s not get hit by a car, let me get home and play her over the phone with my headset on instead.
I continue rushing to catch a cab. As I hurry, I text her back. I hear the sounds around me and the cold air is stinging my nose. As my fingers rush to find the next letter, I see nothing else. Nothing – I am completely engaged. Then I get another message alert about something I know nothing about with an overly promotional message in caps and feel as though I am being shouted at. (Note to self: Shoot, my first mobile spam message) DELETE.
I swing open the cab door and get a glimpse of some rooftop cab ad, something about a nightclub. I sit there giving directions as I try to catch my breath - whew - what a busy day! On the cab ride home I watch a few spots on cab TV and am intrigued by the feature restaurant spot. (Note to self: Make a reservation for Joel’s Birthday).
As I step out of the car, I get a call from a friend whom I haven’t talked to in a few weeks. She wants to plan a run. (Note to self: Start training for May and buy those new pair of Saucony’s that I saw online. Check to see if I still have the discount coupon for that running store that I received in my inbox last week).
With my mobile to my ear, when I get home I stop at the mailbox to pick up my bundle of mail spilling out, with a briefcase in one hand, I place the mail under my arm. Using my other hand to put the keys into the door, I push the door open with my foot. My plans for the run have been made. I hang up the mobile. Now I can focus on that Scrabble game.
I quickly go through the mail, scanning the pile as I sift through it over the trash, keeping only what is relevant to me from a glance. Yes, Yes, no, no, yes, no, Ooh, Ann Taylor coupon for 20 percent off. Perfect. Later, though. I set that pile in my ”later box” to view when I have more time. Within a matter of minutes, I order food online to get delivered and turn on the TV for background noise.
Now, I am all set and ready to jump onto Facebook to check out the latest updates, and my LAN line starts to ring. Do I answer it? I don’t recognize the number, so straight to voicemail. It is a message that is from someone selling to mothers. Clearly they don’t know me - I’m not a mother. DELETE. Then it rings again; it is my cousin. But you know what, I need some “me” time, so I let that go to voicemail.
I do know that I want to play Scrabble with my sister. I see a little red icon in the lower right-hand corner of my computer signaling me that she has initiated the game. Game on!
And the time I’m having on the phone with my sister playing Scrabble…ahhhh – love it! In the back of my mind, I know I have to check my two e-mail inboxes, but I’ll do that later. About 20 minutes into the game and a stomach full of breadsticks, I look to the right-hand side of the screen and notice something. I look a little closer and I see an ad:
“Gift Card Age 35. Congratulations! Today if you are 35 years old and female, you can participate for a free $1000 voucher.”
I grimace. Okay, so they think they know me. I am not sure if anyone told them that pointing out my age to a 35-year-old female is a little creepy and invasive. It may work for some, but not for me.
As I reflect back on my evening, I’m struck by the number of advertising messages that I’m bombarded with on a daily basis while I’m just trying to get through my busy day. Just in the few hours since leaving the office, I’m hit with billboards, text messages, transit advertising, phone calls, e-mail, mobile advertising, videos, mail, banner ads, internet pop-up ads, to name a few. Too many messages, and far too many that are simply not relevant to me.
Everyone, it seems, is trying to reach out to me and make a connection. What makes them think that I want to connect?Seems that what is getting lost is providing me with a reason to connect.