Marketers, speaking up is important in privacy debates

Speak now, or forever hold your peace… That’s not exactly true, but there is a deadline to respond to the Privacy Act Review Report. ADMA has been hearing from the data-driven marketing and advertising industry and there seems to be a general consensus on what we should be concerned about. 

If there was ever a time where we needed marketers to speak out, this is it.  

You may have heard (and hopefully you have) that the government has released a Privacy Act Review Report. As I said in my last column, this is a pivotal moment for the industry - some of the proposals, as they stand, would turn a lot of things upside down for most marketers. What's worse is they may have this impact without protecting consumers in the way they should. 

Contrary to what you may think, responding to the report isn’t just a job for the lawyers - after all, marketers don’t delegate control of their marketing budgets to the finance team. There is a need to work together to get both the worlds - both the lawyers and the application (the marketers) aligned in achieving the best result.

As marketers, we are at the forefront of building valuable databases and maintaining consumer trust. To do this most effectively, we need to properly understand the implications of this report, and provide the input needed into the review consultation to help shape the future.

Rest assured ADMA is working hard to digest, disseminate and work closely with marketers to ensure the position taken on the proposed changes is detailed and reflective of industry concerns. We have been hosting a number of round tables and other one on one discussions with members and non-members to understand the implications across different industry pillars and roles. ADMA has been both surprised and comforted to see that there is a consistency in the concerns that the data-driven economy has raised with us, regarding the specific recommendations of focus. 

This industry can feel isolating at times, and it’s important to understand that, at least in this respect, we are all in the same boat. If we can forge long-lasting connections and partnerships between marketers in the process, even better.

ADMA believes that the best way we can help data-driven marketers is through open and transparent conversations with both industry and regulators. As much as we have learned from industry through specific use cases, taking learnings from these discussions are an effective way to open up these conversations for more teams.
This is important for many reasons. The Privacy Act Review is a long and considered process, and without these conversations, ‘privacy’ can become white noise. As data-driven marketers, we can't afford for this to happen. The changes in privacy will impact marketers in many different ways - staying engaged is the only way we can do the best for consumers and our industry alike.

Given the interest and engagement that ADMA has seen from a range of organisations in these conversations, we will be continuing to conduct them in various forms. Don’t be dissuaded by the approaching due date either - that is not the end of the conversation, or of the Review. If you're interested in joining ADMA’s future discussions, then please do get in touch.

If you’re feeling unprepared for the change, ADMA has also revamped its Privacy and Marketing Compliance training course. Although the changes are being considered, there is still a need to comply within the current framework - and to do it in a way that prepares you for what is to come. 

You don’t need to be a lawyer to be a marketer, but you do need to know how to apply compliance properly. Best practise in marketing compliance helps marketers practically mitigate risk while also optimising marketing efficiencies at a manageable cost. An investment of time and money in getting the right training should save you from the considerably larger costs associated with a breach in compliance. 

Ensuring you are compliant and engaged in the right conversations is a timely issue as well. The Privacy Act Review Report is a powerful reminder of how important it is to be across so many different points of focus that will shape our economy and industry for years to come.  

Marketing, in particular, is such a complex profession, and can define how consumers spend their time online - we have a role to play in ensuring that the customer experience is both enjoyable and responsible. ADMA will continue to advocate for this across discussions on regulatory development, and in our upskilling of marketers, thought leadership and educational offering.

Keep an eye out over the coming weeks for even more exciting announcements, including the line-up and details for ADMA’s keystone Global Forum conference later this year. 

This is truly a massive, industry-defining year in terms of what the data-driven marketing and advertising industry will look like. Privacy, skills, and technology will define our customers expectations and the way in which marketers embrace each will be key. 

It is the time to be responsible, transparent, and collaborative. ADMA will be there every step of the way - will you?