Strategically Communicating

You probably realized that every time you rate a movie on Netflix , the information is stored and used to make Netflix a better program. But did you realize that every time you hit play, pause, rewind or fast-forward, that information is captured and considered valuable consumer information? Though this might seem a little intrusive, in the end it is what ensures all of the movies under the category “Period Drama with a Strong Female Lead” are ones that you can’t wait to watch.

A recent article in the New York Times titled, “Giving Viewers What They Want” explored how Netflix used “Big Data” to determine that their original show “House of Cards” would not only be watched, but would be a huge success (see infographic). Jonathan Friedland, Netflix’s chief communications officer, said, “Because we have a direct relationship with consumers, we know what people like to watch and that helps us understand how big the interest is going to be for a given show. It gave us some confidence that we could find an audience for a show like ‘House of Cards.’ ” According to the article, “House of Cards” is now the most streamed content in the United States.

I don’t know about you, but I am beginning to become more and more unnerved knowing my every move on the web is being recorded. As a customer do you see yourself becoming more private in what you do or don’t do on the internet or is this just going to become second nature to all of us?