The march is well and truly on to nail your data formula and lash the market with a method behind your targeting madness. From people-based marketing strategies to further extrapolation of point of sale data and enhanced behavioural data layering techniques – there's been many a 'market first' and 'revolutionary' move.
Off the back of some of the big industry data deals, in which some big ones made headlines in March, CEO at ADMA Jodie Sangster added that consequently it has never been more important for companies to ensure they are rigorously compliant whilst being transparent with consumers as to how and why their data is being shared.The recent Apple/FBI stoush and Uber news - regarding it giving US regulators data on 12 million users, is case in point.
A big data play to hit recently was Facebook's stab at closing sales loop and taking a bite out of the not so sweet cookie by doubling-down on its measurement capabilities. The social giant announced its business can now compare offline point-of-sale data to that of Atlas' data to get an accurate picture of the path to purchase.
It claims these new 'Offline Actions' and 'Path to Conversion' tools will allow marketers to put real data behind their digital and mobile spend, that goes beyond the cookie, and Facebook expects this will lead to an increase in spend in the space.
In other data mashes Ooh!Media formed an exclusive data partnership with Quantium which it says will “revolutionise” the way advertisers can target audiences using out of home. It sees Ooh!Media add Quantium's transaction and behavioural data to its data insights and audience profiling tool. The partnership allows advertisers greater effectiveness in audience-targeting abilities using its outdoor assets.
In what can only be described as triad of data titbits of late, ad tech player Signal also appointed Coles head of programmatic Michael Twomey to spearhead the roll-out of Australia's first independent addressable media solution. It allows digital advertisers and media buyers to offer targeted content, using people's profiles rather than cookies, across devices and channels on publisher sites across the country.
Is it system overload? Are some companies running before they can walk or should we just stop, feel good about this and pat the industry on the pack for the strides it's now taking?
More on the horizon
Will the momentum from March role on? Many say yes and these varying data plays are a really encouraging sign that last year's words around data, data, data, are now translating into action.
Speaking top AdNews, Sangster, says these deals are representative of the type of industry movements in predictions she released to the industry in December – in saying that 2016 is shaping up to be the 'Year of Partnerships'.
“To me it’s a positive sign that we are seeing more and more collaboration out there to mesh the offline and online world and to better respond to customers,” Sangster says.
“Data-driven marketing has historically been associated with the digital and direct world but its true promise is in working across the full spectrum of channels, whether they are in the above the line or below the line world…and whether they are online or offline.
“The Quantium and OOH announcement is a good example of this bringing outdoor, which has been seen as a more traditional media, into the mix (although I think the advent of augmented and virtual reality has the potential to really shake up that space).”
She added the Signal announcement is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the people-marketing space - which is now rapidly evolving in Australia and the cookie is dying a slow death.
Quantium's exec director Tony Davis these moves are just the next chapter in businesses becoming more data savvy – adding that with better understanding of customers, propositions are now more relevant and communications are becoming far more effective.
“Collaborations in the use of great data and insights to help power competitive advantage and effectiveness is the way of the future,” he says.
Simplification
Senior marketing manager at Datalicious, Daniel Dewar, agrees, adding that looking at recent moves in the marketing technology industry, there is a clear push toward a simplification of the marketing stack - namely the integration of analytics and buying.
He says that this is encouraging because it shows that martech and adtech solution providers are not afraid of innovating in new spaces and investing in new technological solutions to old investment problems.
However he also adds that organisations should show diligence in, and those companies must show transparency, when it comes to those solution providers reporting on their own media buys.
“It's great to see smarter and creative use of the wealth of behavioural and transactional data available to marketers,” Dewar says. Now it's up to us to put it to good use and deliver a better digital experience, or rather a better customer experience."
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