Tesco Clubcard Secret Scan-ta: Tried & Tested

Tesco SantaWe hear a lot about how social data can be used to pinpoint exactly what products a person would want to buy, but its rare that consumers get a chance to see the results of such an algorithm for themselves.

Meet Tescos Secret Scan-ta, a web app intended to push the supermarkets Clubcard Christmas Point promotion. Users enter the Twitter handle of a friend on their Christmas list and Scan-ta chooses a gift for them based on their Twitter interests.

Its not clear how refined or random the selection of products is. Searching for the same person twice doesnt seem to produce the same result, and cycling through the alternative selections quickly starts to repeat the same few items – there are a few items in particular, like eau de toilette, which seem to be a fall-back option no matter who you pick.

By and large, though, the selections are accurate enough to make the process feel worthwhile. Seeing a superhero-themed onesie pop up when you pick a comics-loving friend does feel like a small display of technological wizardry.

The site is well optimised for mobile and easy to use, except for a couple of small bumps, like the need to authorise the apps use of Twitter each time you search for someone new. Perhaps most importantly, theres a clear use case for both the user – helping make the office secret Santa a less awkward affair – and the brand – people can buy the items directly.

And in case you were wondering, the Mobile Marketing teams perfect gifts according to Secret Scan-ta include a Tamagotchi, a Despicable Me fart blaster, an electric toothbrush, and the classic kids board game Buckaroo. At least some of these selections are surprisingly spot on.