Internet advertising, a Facebook and Biotherm Homme example
This will take some explanation and require some patience, but it is something that is not fully understood here and maybe should be.
Biotherm Homme is a French maker of a shaving foam that has been used here for many years. Mousse de Rasage Peau Sensible is the descriptive name. I first picked some up in 1981 at a duty free shop in Paris. It led to the best face scraping that had ever been experienced here. At that time it cost not much more than Gillette, given the duty free and the exchange rate. Over the years, in many trips to Paris on business and some for pleasure, several containers would be bought each time passing through the Charles DeGaulle. If I ran short, a few Manhattan department stores stocked it, although the price was higher. In addition, there eventually became a mail order internet option based in Montreal that worked reasonably well.
The mail order option became the only option in the last ten years as I have only been to Paris once in that time frame and Biotherm Homme stopped selling its products in the U.S. I said "reasonably well" related to this internet site as it seemed to be operated by one or two people as representatives of the company. The web site was balky and temperamental, and the support was limited.
Almost down to the end of my supply, at the beginning of last week I wanted to order more of this indulgence. That meant going to the internet. Following the instructions exactly, twice, it would not accept the order. I called the suggested phone number and with my limited French understood the recording saying that they were not open that day due to an unusual circumstance. My reaction was to think it was just more of the same. I would wait and try again in a few days.
Two days later I opened my Facebook account, one that is used a couple of times a week, more as an observer than as a participant. With people that are really "friends" I check a few likes, and then move on. What happened that day was that the third item down on my home page was an advertisement from Biotherm Homme. This had to be tailored for me. This is not a widely known company in the U.S. And there it was, and I am one of many John Borden's. I do see the much more prolific advertising on Facebook these days but don't relate to it, until now. Clicking on the ad and reaching the same website again, I ordered. It worked.
How did this happen? It makes one think, but think what.
Biotherm Homme is a French maker of a shaving foam that has been used here for many years. Mousse de Rasage Peau Sensible is the descriptive name. I first picked some up in 1981 at a duty free shop in Paris. It led to the best face scraping that had ever been experienced here. At that time it cost not much more than Gillette, given the duty free and the exchange rate. Over the years, in many trips to Paris on business and some for pleasure, several containers would be bought each time passing through the Charles DeGaulle. If I ran short, a few Manhattan department stores stocked it, although the price was higher. In addition, there eventually became a mail order internet option based in Montreal that worked reasonably well.
The mail order option became the only option in the last ten years as I have only been to Paris once in that time frame and Biotherm Homme stopped selling its products in the U.S. I said "reasonably well" related to this internet site as it seemed to be operated by one or two people as representatives of the company. The web site was balky and temperamental, and the support was limited.
Almost down to the end of my supply, at the beginning of last week I wanted to order more of this indulgence. That meant going to the internet. Following the instructions exactly, twice, it would not accept the order. I called the suggested phone number and with my limited French understood the recording saying that they were not open that day due to an unusual circumstance. My reaction was to think it was just more of the same. I would wait and try again in a few days.
Two days later I opened my Facebook account, one that is used a couple of times a week, more as an observer than as a participant. With people that are really "friends" I check a few likes, and then move on. What happened that day was that the third item down on my home page was an advertisement from Biotherm Homme. This had to be tailored for me. This is not a widely known company in the U.S. And there it was, and I am one of many John Borden's. I do see the much more prolific advertising on Facebook these days but don't relate to it, until now. Clicking on the ad and reaching the same website again, I ordered. It worked.
How did this happen? It makes one think, but think what.
posted by John Borden at 4:10 PM
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