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Marketing continues to be a one-sided affair. Brands have massive budgets, highly-trained professionals, numerous support services and agencies, mountains of data and insight, arsenals of technologies to target and communicate with people.

What do people have? Ad blockers, DVR’s, unsubscribe buttons and, most importantly, indifference. As Soren Kierkegaard said: “At the bottom of enmity between strangers lies indifference.” While Social Media shows some signs of turning this one-sided relationship into more of a partnership, the fact is: All the resources are still with brands. And it’s hard for anyone of us to imagine a future where these roles we all are used to playing, will change. When the seller-centric paradigm transforms into a buyer-centric reality.

Until today.

Mydex launched today the personal data store service. It’s a first step in the marketing revolution that will turn people into owners and managers of their own data. It is a very small test but it’s an important piece of the puzzle to change the way marketing information flows. Personal Data Stores empower individuals to become owner and managers of their data, allowing for a real partnership between buyers and sellers. They will help restoring the balance between two parties.

Marketers might find that scary since it threatens their power of influence. I would argue this will transform passive consumers into more active producers, both helping the individual to achieve his goals. And help brands become more efficient in their product development, branding, marketing, advertising – you name it. And that’s just a small part of the transformation. Once individuals will take ownership of their data, major industries will be reinvented: Health Care, Education, Politics.

Please read Mydex’ White Paper for a more detailed look at Personal Data Stores: “The case for personal information empowerment – The rise of the personal data store”

Congrats to the folks at Mydex.