• by Jeff Einstein , April 6, 2005

For my money, much of the industry discussion about the veracity and value of cookie-based data in the wake of the recent report from JupiterResearch (Measuring Unique Visitors: Addressing the Dramatic Decline in Accuracy of Cookie-Based Measurement) simply misses the point. The fact that 40 percent of online consumers now delete cookies on a regular basis speaks less about the authenticity of the data, and more about the intent of the users, and how they think about things little like privacy, security, and peace of mind.

For me it was never about the veracity of data anyway. It was about aspiring to the knowledge of gods only to discover eventually (and inevitably) that our gods all have clay feet. This, in essence, is the process of growing up, what happens in that thunderous moment when we first see our own parents for what they truly are: frail, fault-ridden beings like you and me who are simply doing their best with what they have. Maturation replaces the arrogance of youth with the humility that comes with accepting our own mortality and ignorance as default conditions. Every extension of our childhood mythologies and fairy tales -- every effort to defer adulthood -- comes at the price of our own humanity, sanity, and sobriety.

Besides, adulthood is something to cherish and celebrate. Our failures as adults to deliver against our own childhood dreams (or those of others) merely confirms our humanity. This is a good thing, and a step in the right direction. We will never learn the true value of success unless and until we learn first the value of failure.

My old partner, dear friend, and interactive industry legend J. Sandom once attributed his success to the sheer number of walls he bounced off en route. To get there as an industry, the childhood claim of accountability as the point of distinction between online media and their offline counterparts must surrender eventually to a more sober, more mature mentality, perhaps once that elevates and even champions failure in the secret-to-success hierarchy. Besides, like dandelions that break through concrete in the spring, life's imperative will not be denied, and each new claim of enhanced accountability becomes just another wall to bounce off of en route to success.

In my humble opinion, online media are the least accountable of all media by far -- despite the heady and persistent industry claims to the contrary. The sheer volume and complexity of the data that ensues guarantees immediate ambiguity and ultimate inapplicability.

There's a corresponding lesson in the success of network TV upfronts for any digital marketer willing to pay attention: KISS -- Keep It Simple Stupid. This is not about accountability, nor is there any claim to accountability beyond the obvious primacy of time and place. The fact that no one knows which 50 percent of traditional advertising works and which 50 percent doesn't is perfectly okay, and reflects a surprisingly mature attitude. Accountability takes a distant backseat to the far simpler dynamics of supply and demand. That's why network prices keep rising despite the continued erosion of their audience figures. The networks simply don't distinguish between what works and what doesn't; everything -- including and especially their own ignorance -- is on the upfront sales block.

By contrast, the digital marketing industry's childish claim of accountability vastly reduces the value of online inventory by assigning an artificial price tag to how little we actually know. Right now the known online universe performs about 0.2 percent of the time. Unlike our traditional media counterparts, therefore, we are leaving 99.8 percent of the perceived market value on the table, merely because we reject uncertainty and ignorance as unworthy of our time and attention. We behave like neglected children intoxicated with childhood fantasy instead of sober adults engaged in living life and conducting business. The interactive marketing industry is far too engaged in and obsessed with the act of looking back over its own shoulder in paralytic fear of the moment someone comes along, lifts the lid, and discovers a fraud underneath. That moment is here.

So let's get on with our lives. Instead of praying to the false god of utter accountability, let's begin again with something simpler, something more realistic, something more mature and truthful: Let's embrace our own ignorance instead. The reasons for doing so are manifold: First, the supply is inexhaustible (ignorance is, after all, the essential human condition). Second, there's never any demand for more ignorance to drive up the price. Finally, ignorance can be and typically is bundled with every sale anyway, in spite of any claims to the contrary (that's why we buy all those unnecessary extended service plans). In the end, the only thing we know for certain is how little we know. We should set ourselves free to behave accordingly -- just like the TV networks.

Many philosophers and religionists attribute an organizing intelligence to the universe. I view that organizing intelligence as part of God's job description, not mine. I'm too busy bouncing off walls, taking notes, and exploring the vast universe of my own ignorance. Accordingly, I no longer hesitate to sell my ignorance -- not for a second even -- because in the end that's almost all I have to sell. And that's okay, too. That's what adults do.

So let's celebrate the pursuit of ignorance over arrogance. Have a cookie and forget the numbers like everyone else. What do you think?

Many thanks, as always, and best to you and yours...

Please note: The Einstein's Corner discussion group at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/einsteinscorner/ is dedicated to exploring the adverse effects of our addictions to technology and media on the quality of our lives, both at work and at home. Please feel free to drop by and join the discussion.