The data-driven marketing revolution

These are early days with the data revolution. Our smartphones, tablets, desktop computers and social networking profiles are beaming out information regarding us: where we’ve been, what we’re doing, our likes, preferences and private information.

But this is just first. When “dumb” objects, just like our fridges, clothes and furniture, become digitally connected through the “internet of things”, you will have an eruption of data about our activities by using an unprecedented scale.

Brands are investing heavily inside latest technology and are also hiring data specialists to capture and then make a sense of this data. But it is still unclear how these investments will pay off. In theory, data should allow brands to offer us the rest of that which you want, whenever we want it to be.

In reality, though, some companies and industries are incapable of be getting the most due to digital technology and many types of that customer data. So, just how will any of us realise some great benefits of digitisation?

To help answer this query, the Guardian, sponsored by Cisco, created data technologists, website marketers and digital leaders from ad agencies for any roundtable discussion. The nine experts thrashed out key issues like whether privacy legislation would wait the results explosion, how organisations needs to be structured to best handle data, as well as the effects of data on advertising creativity.

Making best make use of data in marketing roundtable: attendees

• Robin Hough (Chair) Editor, Guardian Media & Tech Network
• Ian Foddering Sales lead for Service agency Media at Cisco UK and Ireland
• David Brigham Senior director analytics, EPAM
• Jess Burney Director of enterprise, CRM & subscriptions, Immediate Media
• Tom Dunn Digital strategy director, Maxus UK
• Mark Haviland Managing director, Rakuten Marketing Europe
• Paul Lewis Senior director, marketing, VoucherCodes.co.uk
• Alex Loveless Head of analytics, DigitasLBi
• Oliver Southgate Head of technology and data solutions, Havas Media Group Consulting
• James Whatley Digital director, Ogilvy & Mather Advertising

Many companies have a very long way to search before there’re ready for the data revolution, in line with Ian Foddering, sales lead for Service Provider Media at Cisco UK and Ireland. “There’s been loads of focus on embracing digitisation having said that i haven’t seen plenty of action,” he was quoted saying.

The panel agreed how the new wave of smartphone apps and digital services are demanding ever greater information from consumers, raising privacy concerns. A lot of people willingly present their personal data to social media platforms and apps. Numerous are genuinely shocked every time they discover the smartphones are giving data on activities for example the places they are and how long they stayed there.

Regulators are cracking recorded on digital intrusion