Keeping data clean is at the core of compliance and competitiveness, says Stuart Huke. And the professionals who are focused on data quality are now at the top table of businesses across the UK and Europe – thanks to the GDPR spotlight.
Sit up and take notice, says Tim Haynes – the latest news headlines surrounding alleged data misuse will mean even brands that collect and use data ethically and in good faith will struggle to persuade customers to trust them. Here’s some practical advice on building consumer trust – and how to put marketing ‘skulduggery’ firmly into the past.
The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force in May, but many organisations still need to seek consent, ensuring individuals have actively opted in to the collection, processing and retention of their information. Sarah Taylor examines a study from SmartFocus which shows how the need for GDPR consenting affects organisations globally – and she discusses the optimum time to avoid GDPR unsubscribes.
Research reveals that many marketers across Europe and the US still haven’t figured out the changes they need to make for their businesses to become compliant with the incoming GDPR, or the impact that new data protection law will actually have on businesses. The level of understanding of the implications is a concern, says David Fowler, but there is still time to take action successfully as the countdown to GDPR implementation begins.
The forthcoming GDPR is designed to help protect consumer data, not to hamper businesses and hog-tie them with red tape. Those businesses that adapt to the changing rules – that turn big data into smart data – will survive and thrive, says Julie Neilson, explaining how marketers in the retail, automotive and financial services sectors are surmounting the obstacles and reaping the opportunities . . . showing that it can be a case of new privacy rules OK!
First, computer cookies as data collectors and now AI, bots and myriad automation – they are all bringing a level of ease and convenience to our lives as consumers; offering targeted ads, using our locations and preferences for relevance, saving us our valuable time. But they also offer unease and concern . . . followers or stalkers, assistants or snoopers? Just how far can technology – and brands and even governments – go when it comes to gathering and using data? It’s all about ethics, says Steven van Belleghem, delving into the great privacy & technology debate.
Many consumers remain suspicious about it and even the term ‘data monetisation’ can prompt consumer concern that brands are making money from their personal asset. But it’s time to explain how it all works, how to make ourselves proud of our industry and how, actually, data makes the world go round: