DMA chief issues rallying cry for industry to change

The data and marketing industry faces a stark choice: does it want to be seen as a sector which uses data, tech and “trickery” to get a quick sale or one that earns the trust of consumers by acting responsibly to build trust and create truly engaging experiences?
That was the hard-hitting theme of DMA group chief executive Chris Combemale’s keynote address at today’s DMA Data Protection 2019 conference, in which he issued a rallying cry for the industry to take the opportunity for change.
Combemale said: “The industry is at a crossroads. We can be an industry that puts short-term profit above long-term loyalty. An industry that uses data, technology and creative to trick customers into a quick sale. An industry that targets obsessively, as if our customers only want to buy what they have always bought.
“Or we can be an industry that chooses to create truly engaging customer experiences. An industry that reinforces community values. An industry that builds trust. An industry that earns respect for our talent, our skills and our sense of responsibility.”
Combemale said that the industry can choose to become the UK’s most customer-focused community, empowering brands to responsibly create more value for and from their customers. Companies can use their skills to create delightful and surprising customer experiences, adding real, long-term sustainable value for our customers, our brands and for society.
He concluded: “There are choices that we need to make as an industry if we are to earn the trust of our customers and their custom. We can choose to be passionate about intelligent marketing, led by customer-first principles, using data science and technology to meet the changing needs of today and tomorrow, responsibly and sustainably.”