Targeting Gone Wrong: When Digital Advertising Fails to Deliver

Charlie Stewart's latest Clicks ’n Tricks column on MarkLives explores the unsettling state of digital ad targeting, spotlighting recent research from Adlook that reveals just how inaccurate audience data can really be. The research found that nearly 47% of the users classified as women were actually men, 62% of those identified as parents had no children, and an astonishing 75% of people labelled as married were, in fact, single. With global online ad spend projected to hit $750 billion by 2025, the scale of this data inaccuracy raises serious concerns about wasted spend and missed impact.

These findings come as the industry attempts to move away from invasive pixel tracking and toward contextually relevant, data-driven targeting. But, as Charlie notes, even harmless targeting loses its credibility if the foundational data is flawed.

To illustrate the dystopian potential of poor ad practices, Charlie draws a parallel with an episode of Black Mirror titled Common People, in which a woman unknowingly becomes a vessel for real-time advertising after a brain operation. It’s absurd but also uncomfortably close to current trends in hyper-personalised advertising. 

The column also highlights growing discomfort with digital platforms, referencing Unilever’s push to increase influencer marketing in response to consumer distrust, and a recent legal case against Meta over personal data use. These developments point to a tipping point: while digital remains dominant, there’s a rising demand for more ethical, accurate, and human-centred marketing. 

With trust declining, data in question, and even the courts stepping in, Charlie Stewart calls for a serious rethink of how brands use technology to reach their audiences.

Read the full article on MarkLives: Targeting Gone Wrong.