SYDNEY, AU (DECEMBER 10, 2015)—The second annual Global Review of Data-Driven Marketing and Advertising revealed that data is playing an increasingly central role as a pillar of marketing, advertising and customer experience practice around the globe, with 81.3 percent of marketers describing data as important to their efforts, an increase from 80.4 percent in 2014, and 59.3 percent calling it ‘critical’ to their efforts, up from 57.1 percent in 2014.

The study, conducted by GDMA (an alliance of 27 independent marketing associations around the world) and U.S. research and consulting firm Winterberry Group indicates that 74.1 percent of marketers remain confident in the value of data-driven marketing and advertising (“DDMA”) and its potential for future growth. Among the survey’s 17-nation panel, 56.3 percent said they increased their annual DDMA expenditures last year, while 68.6 percent expect to increase spending further in 2016). These metrics were slightly down on 2014 levels (when 77.4 percent of panellists indicated confidence in DDMA and 63.2 percent increased their respective spending since the prior year). The year-on-year dip could reflect the finding that participants cited improved measurement and attribution techniques as the single most important initiative would support their organisations’ ability to drive more value from DDMA.

The Global Review’s findings were compiled through an online survey of 2,938 advertisers, marketers and other industry participants, in 17 countries, between July and September 2015. It is the largest study of its kind undertaken by a global consortium of marketing associations and aims to provide insights into how technological, macroeconomic and media change is transforming the marketing and advertising landscape and enable marketers to benchmark their campaigns, allocate budgets in line with global best practices and develop strategies for using data in meaningful, responsible and consumer-friendly ways.

The Global Review was made possible through the support of MediaMath— a respected leader in data-driven marketing strategy and technology.
“As the customer journey becomes more complex and, marketers are having to find ways to engage with their customers at multiple touch points – both online and offline – along the path to purchase, said Ari Buchalter, President, Technology at MediaMath. Data is core to this and, as the study reveals, it is set to grow in importance as it become central to marketing efforts across the world.”

Click here to download the paper.