The personalisation paradox: marketing panacea or placebo?

This essay seeks to explore the complex relationship consumers have with advertising, arguing that it ultimately works best when there is a clear value exchange between brand and consumer.

The personalisation paradox: marketing panacea or placebo?

Simon James, SapientNitro

How should marketing adapt to the era of personalisation?

This essay was entered into The Admap Prize 2016. For more information visit the Prize page.

With rapid advances in marketing technology, the ability to process and the availability of large volumes of data means that marketers can tailor their communications and experiences at unprecedented speed and scale. Relevance equals response in all forms of marketing.

But personalisation is not a panacea. Its benefits are biased towards the lower end of the funnel – the last few moments...

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