Marketing

Steve Spangler has managed to make science cool … and at the same time earn a living. For the teacher turned retailer, the focus has remained the same: to educate kids, particularly about science. And if that means turning bottles of Diet Coke into erupting geysers in the process, all the better. Founded in 1990, Steve Spangler Science is the offshoot of a man's lifelong obsession with science. After 11 years as a science teacher, Spangler shifted directions. He decided to bring his passion for science to a wider audience, and a mail order catalog offering educational toys and science-related products was born.

Retailers and direct marketers must do more for less while providing concrete proof that their programs deliver results. That brings personalization to the forefront. Done right, personalization consistently delivers higher return on investment. But “done right” is the operative phrase.

Consumers are craving greater relevancy, and are increasingly using their power to disconnect from brands that don’t speak to them as individuals. A 2009 Chief Marketing Officer Council study found that 63 percent of respondents have or would consider abandoning a brand altogether because of irrelevant communications.