Trust issues abound

Expanding a program it began in October, Acxiom will begin using offline consumer behavior profiles to deliver online advertising, reports The Associated Press.

In October Acxiom announced it would begin doing the same sort of profile-targeting for online ads as it currently does for offline direct mailing.

The new service bridges the offline/online gap, studying offline behavior and shopping habits to build online profiles against which ads can be served.

In expanding its Relevance-X program, Acxiom will place a cookie on people's computers built from offline information gathered via direct-response cards, property records and more. The idea is that focusing solely on online behavior does not fully realize the targeting potential of online advertising.

Privacy advocates are not happy with the filling in of the offline/online divide. Acxiom says it is taking privacy concerns into mind and will guard user data vigilantly.