• by Karl Greenberg , Staff Writer, February 11, 2008

Talking about behavioral targeting strikes me as bit like analyzing a jazz tune. For the latter, the musician looks at all the confusing harmonies - some heading off in a weird tangent, some following the melody - and boils it down to a few basic changes.

At least one audience member here at OMMA Behavioral Targeting suggested there should be some boiling down. "Where are the anecdotes?" And I whispered back, "Yes, some simple pictures would be nice."

Jarvis Mak, V US director for esearch and insights at Media Contacts put it into perspective. "There's a great cartoon in which Dilbert creates a twenty-page report and gives it to his boss, who trims it down to a page. And gives it to his boss, who trims it down to three bullet points, who gives it to his boss who trims it down to one bullet point. I think it's a pefect analogy of what we are talking about when it comes down to digital media. in terms of thinking about all those things, branding, behavioural, educating clients on social marketing, video or what have you. Our clients are absorbing all this stuff and it's a lot for them to think about, such as search versus behaviorall. But it comes down to ... reaching target and delivering message that will resonate with them." That's the bullet point.