Plus ça change

As the irresistible machine of competitive pressures trundles on, it is no surprise that retailers are scrambling to shore up the weaknesses that they perceive in their rearguard action against the rise of the e-tailer, no matter how suspect the financial metrics of the new measures, be they same-day delivery, the ever-advancing Christmas sale season or technology-augmented shopping.

It is also no surprise that as the mobile platform is increasing eating into the media consumption mix, both marketers and media platforms are grappling with its baffling economics, even as they well be on the way to cooking their own golden goose.

Engaging business

Customer engagement has been the Holy Grail of marketers ever since they figured out that Web 2.0 and mobile technologies let them reach their targets one-on-one and where they are.

However, as Steve Olenski capably points out, consumers have other ideas. There was a time when engagement meant listening to what the consumer had to say. Perhaps the time has come to resurrect this increasingly quaint notion.

Ad technology meets reality, part 5876

In news surprising only to marketers, advertising entrepreneurs, and their VC backers, consumers would rather avoid location-based intrusion.Once again, technology gets far ahead of actual demand.