Understand and Optimize the Value of (Third-Party) Data for ’Growth’

With DMA’s &Then18 in Las Vegas taking place this past week, I may report that the transformation from “direct marketing” to “data-driven marketing” is complete, and that the disruption of marketing overall, in all its forms, continues to accelerate. Third-party data, for growth, is a marketing trend we'll discuss here, too. DMA, a division of Association of National Advertisers, now represents mastery in “Data Marketing & Analytics” and the conference curricula certainly emphasized the present and future of data-inspired marketing. No time for tears and nostalgia, we all have work to do. Yes, direct marketing has provided the foundation and discipline for data-driven marketing to flourish — testing, measurement, accountability — but with the speed, sources and size of data, it’s clearly a new day. Brands (ANA) are now firmly focused on data and measurement (ANA’s ownership of DMA). As one big family, the conference opened with a hefty statement from ANA President & CEO Bob Liodice and DMA Group Executive VP Tom Benton about why all this matters: “Growth.” If we’re not disrupting, we’re being disrupted — and probably we’re being disrupted, anyway. Growth does not belong to the hesitant. Still, being agile doesn’t mean being foolish, it means being “fuelish” — understanding the data you have and acting on the insights data, the fuel, presents. Perhaps this is good reason why Bonin Bough served as emcee for the conference. His in-your-face energy reflects the energy in Data Marketing & Analytics that must be unleashed for desired business outcomes to be achieved. It’s not so easy. Data sits in silos. Enterprises have legacy systems. New marketing technology doesn’t easily interact with these systems, if at all. Data goes stale. Data isn’t trusted. Quality may be elusive. Integration raises conflicts. And well-meaning but ill-advised privacy regimes, as public policy, could tank responsible data flows. Use Data Wisely, Responsibly and With Confidence One focus in programming was a needed one: how to make sure brands access and use data with confidence. Matt Tipperreiter, senior product strategy director at Experian Marketing Services, presented an enterprising perspective on “data4good.” This was not about social good and cause marketing. It was about providing a professional approach to pursue quality, actionability and best for first-party data management, third-party data sourcing, identity profiles and single customer view, campaign and media activation. I’ve included this image that speaks to this helpful construct. [caption id="attachment_76828" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Photo taken at DMA, a division of ANA &Then 2018 Conference, Experian Marketing Services Talks Data4Good. | Credit: Chet Dalzell by Experian Marketing Services[/caption] Another panel included data experts from Alliant, Dun & Bradstreet, FCB Chicago, LiveRamp and Stirista — which examined third-party data, in particular. [Disclosure: I have a client relationship with two of these companies.] Of late, brands have expressed some concern with their planned use of both online and third-party data. In research from the Duke University Fuqua School of Business, “The CMO Survey,” nearly 12 percent report they are likely to decrease third-party data use in the coming two years — while six in 10 will maintain a steady commitment. If brands and businesses are truly committed to growth — as ANA and DMA maintain — then they must not abandon reliance on third-party data. All the first-party data in the world cannot provide a whole view of the customer — at least one that can enable smarter decisions about audience targeting and understanding. “The customer must be the central focus — not the data, not the technology,” said Josh Blacksmith, SVP, General Manager — CRM, FCB Chicago. While brands are sacred, the audience is more sacred. I’ve maintained that without third-party data, customer growth in an efficient manner is much less likely. So it is imperative that data providers tackle brand safety and brand confidence concerns with third-party data for growth — which is most often tackled through data due diligence, testing and proof of concepts, and a commitment to data quality. ‘Data Label’ Me Transparent Right on cue, another panel explored the new data labeling initiative by ANA (DMA) and the Interactive Advertising Bureau Tech Lab, among others. Currently, the marketplace is being asked to provide comment on the proposed label [label sample available at the link] that the working group has put forward. The goal is to increase transparency as to the source of commercially available data, and to give an apples-to-apples view for such data. Finally, making the greatest business case for data marketing and analytics expertise is showcased in this year’s ANA International ECHO Awards. Congratulations are in order for all this year’s finalists and winners. DMA members have access to a brief synopsis of each winning campaign, but anyone is free to read of them online here. The next ECHO Awards presentation is slated for the next ANA Data Marketing & Analytics conference, March 2, 2020, in Orlando, Fla. See you there!

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Understand and Optimize the Value of (Third-Party) Data for ’Growth’

Chet Dalzell

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Chet Dalzell