Data and privacy code of practice revamped for new world order

The Association for Data-driven Marketing and Advertising (ADMA) is updating its member Code of Practice to keep up-to-date with new privacy laws and developments in data-driven marketing and advertising.

The current code was originally developed in the late 1990s to address telemarketing and fair trading issues. It was last updated in 2006.

The revision will take into account new data-driven channels, techniques and the technologies now adopted by marketers. It will also address privacy and data security challenges.

ADMA chief executive officer Jodie Sangster says the existing code of practice has served the industry well, but it’s “time for a refresh”.

“It must address the challenges arising from the many new and varied channels marketers are using to reach out to customers, such as social media, mobile devices, apps, SMS, word of mouth and location-based mobile,” she says.

“Meanwhile, it must continue to be relevant to more established data-driven channels such as telephone, mail, catalogue and direct response TV.”

Sangster says virtually all marketing and advertising is data-driven to some extent.

“That being the case, the ADMA Code must be relevant to all marketers and advertisers.”

Director of digital intelligence company Bendalls Group Fi Bendall told SmartCompany that while the update is timely, the issue of data privacy needs much greater attention on an international scale.

“Privacy is a Pandora’s box…it is an issue that is yet to blow up in our faces,” she says. “It you look at what is going on behind the scenes in the US with facebook etc., you see it is much bigger than Australia.

“That said, we can’t complain that they (ADMA) want to bring best practice to the industry,” Bendall says.

Bendall thinks that the way marketers target consumers through data channels, and the way they use the information gathered needs progression.

“I think it is still early days from a sophistication point of view. They (businesses) need to use it smartly rather than annoying people,” she says.

ADMA will undertake stakeholder consultations to gather ideas and feedback on code changes. It intends to release the new code by the end of 2013.