I thought the latest (UK-based) Skittles campaign, where they ask fans to bury some guy named David Phoenix in Skittles, was amusing enough to check out. However, when I tried to take part, Facebook, as it does with any app, asked me to give it permission to access my profile info. While I have no illusions of privacy on Facebook, there were two major things wrong with this:
- It is a reminder of that intrusion into my account info, giving me a feeling that every time I use such an app it adds more digital flotsam to my Facebook account for what may be a one-time chuckle (much as I may like Skittles)
- It is an extra click I have to make ( a major sin in any Web marketing, yes?)
The problem lies not with Skittles or any other marketer, but in how Facebook apps work. We’ll probably have to wait for Facebook to be motivated to change this before it does change. That said, as obnoxious as Mr. Phoenix seemed in the introductory video, I shall deny myself the pleasure of watching him drown in candy.
AT least in this case it would appear that personal data portability has more value to advertisers than to customers.
How so?