Selling God: Using Big Data to Target Vulnerable Individuals

Abstract

Over five decades ago, professors of marketing Philip Kotler and Sidney Levy advocated for expanding the use of marketing tools to benefit the nonprofit world. Today, nonprofits are extending this strategy by using big data analytics. Typically controversial in corporate America, nonprofits are using powerful technology to target vulnerable individuals and offer them services. This paper seeks to encourage conversation around this strategy and calls for research that investigates three main areas: the question of ethicality, the question of consequences, and the question of regulation. Without question big data and predictive analytics can be very helpful tools. Similarly, nonprofit organizations can do wonderful things for their communities. However, the intersection of these two elements may have major adverse effects on consumer well-being. The risks at this intersection provide the motivation for this paper.