Nowadays, many companies are using big data to form their own marketing strategies. Through big data, companies can better understand the consumption pattern of the consumers, so as to build up different strategies for different groups of customers. This time, we will introduce 3 companies, which are using big data to improve their marketing strategies.

Starbucks

Starbucks started the Starbucks Rewards™ years ago and developed an application on the smartphone for members to order and check how many Stars (points) they earned in a more convenient way. According to a survey, there were over twenty million people paid through the Starbucks application in 2018. Since the function is only available for Starbucks member, there is no doubt that Starbucks has countless members all over the world. Apart from paying through the Starbucks application, members can also pay by cash, credit card or other ways, they only have to show their member cards to the staff when they pay to earn Stars. Then, the system will have a record showing the date, time, location, products, price and paying method. These data help Starbucks know their customers’ preferences, as well as understand date, time and location how to affect customers’ consumption. Starbucks not only gathers customers’ data but also some external data like transportation and traffic to find out a better location for their new store.

Cathay Pacific

Like Starbucks, Cathay Pacific also has membership reward schemes: Marco Polo Club and Asia Miles. The nature of these two schemes is quite similar, they aim at attracting consumers to choose to take Cathay Pacific to earn other favorable offers or better services. When purchasing flight tickets, members enter their information, and the information helps Cathay Pacific to analyse members’ booking patterns. There is a team specialised in analysing customers’ data and recommend useful flight information with reference to their needs. Cathay Pacific General Manager Digital Leslie Lu revealed that ‘ If I see you’re always away from Hong Kong in December, I might suspect you are a skier and send you an offer.’ After a few times communication, the team can know what information the customers are interested in more accurately.

Netflix

Netflix is a popular streaming service, users only have to pay a monthly fee to enjoy dramas and shows on Netflix. No matter for Netflix or other TV stations, purchasing or producing TV shows that tailor to popular taste is probably one of the most difficult things to do. Therefore, Netflix chose to work on big data, they analysed the drama types that audience preferred, audience’s favorable direct as well as actors. After their detailed analysis, they produced ‘House of Cards’ which gained huge success and filmed for six seasons.

Customers are the basis of marketing. If you want to succeed, you have to know the consumption pattern and consumers’ preferences. Big data can definitely help you understand customers’ needs, trends of the market thoroughly and establish your marketing strategies more easily.