The internet marketing went mad today.
Biggest sale of the year! 50% off clothes! Limited time only! 35% off luxury goods! Free delivery! You want this! Your pet needs it! You really want that! Buy now! Buy today!! The offer will expire at 23 59!!! Buy!
And when it will all go back to normal tomorrow, we will be expected to oversee how sinister this normalcy of the internets has become as far as the marketing is concerned.
How when you go to any online shop and look at anything it will then follow you around as a little ad, jumping from one website to another after you, reminding you of what you just wanted to buy and not letting you forget.
How when you scroll down your social media the sponsored content is barely marked as such any more, so that you skim it with the same open mind as the rest of the posts from people you chose to be friends with.
How the emails you're subscribed to receive cleverly tailor your offers to hook you and then reel you on to the right website.
How when you put something in your virtual basket but then change your mind and not buy it, you will still receive a reminder that you forgot to check out but not to worry, the item is still there waiting for you...
How your personal data gets used to create these digital marketing ghosts coaxing, reminding and enticing you to buy, buy, buy, all day, every day, using information about which internet shops you visit, where do you buy your morning coffee and what do you like to watch in the cinema. Remember these virtual tailored ads in Minority Report the movie? They already exist. There must be one or two right here, on your browser tab to the left.
And after today's explosion of offers, sales, special, buy, off, only, buy, be quick, special, today, now, sales! it will all seem mild and normal.
But is it really?
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