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Why Data Hygiene Is More Than Just a Marketing Problem

By |2025-02-03T10:19:10+00:00February 3rd, 2025|

When we talk about data hygiene, many think of marketing—clean contact lists, accurate segmentation, and reduced direct mail returns or email bounce rates. But poor data hygiene isn’t just a marketing headache. An article by Cybersecurity expert, Josh Nadeau, published this week, reminds us that it’s actually a company-wide risk that impacts security, compliance, and decision-making. Understanding Data Hygiene Data hygiene, or data cleanliness, is about ensuring that all organisational data is accurate, complete, consistent, valid, uniform, and timely. Without these characteristics, businesses lose trust in their data, making operations inefficient and exposing themselves to regulatory risks. The Hidden Risks of Poor Data Hygiene Security Threats Unclean data makes organisations vulnerable to cyberattacks. Without clear classification of sensitive data, businesses [...]

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Charities Potentially Secure £290m Boost Following Data Bill Amendment

By |2025-01-24T10:51:10+00:00January 24th, 2025|

Charity marketers are celebrating a major win after the UK Government backed an amendment to the Data (Use & Access) Bill, extending the ‘soft opt-in’ provision to third-sector fundraising. This development follows a robust lobbying campaign led by the DMA. Soft-opt in becoming a reality for charities The ‘soft opt-in,’ a rule allowing organisations to send marketing emails to individuals who have previously engaged with them, was initially excluded from the new bill after being present in its predecessor, the Data & Digital Information Bill. In response, the DMA issued a letter in November to the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation & Technology, Peter Kyle, urging the Government to reconsider. Research prepared to support the amendment found that  charities [...]

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Is the Public Sector Ready for the Government’s Turbocharged AI Strategy?

By |2025-01-20T15:45:25+00:00January 20th, 2025|

The UK government has unveiled an ambitious plan to harness artificial intelligence (AI) as a catalyst for national renewal, aiming to revolutionise public services and boost economic growth. However, a critical component of the success of this initiative will be the emphasis placed on data quality and hygiene, which serve as the foundation for effective AI implementation. The Importance of Data Quality and Hygiene in AI High-quality, well-maintained data is essential for training AI models to ensure accurate, reliable, and unbiased outcomes. Data hygiene, which involves the ongoing process of cleaning, verifying, and maintaining data integrity, is equally vital. As Edwina Dunn recently highlighted in an article for Decision Marketing, many organisations fail at AI due to "shoddy data", a [...]

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Why the Metaphorical Pen is Mightier Than the Digital Sword

By |2024-12-04T14:58:01+00:00December 10th, 2024|

In a world dominated by fleeting notifications and endless scrolling, the enduring impact of the printed word stands out more than ever.  The phrase "the pen is mightier than the sword" has become a timeless adage, but in marketing, it might be more accurate to say the pen is mightier than the screen. Direct mail—tangible, thoughtful, and tactile—commands attention and creates connections in ways digital mediums struggle to replicate.  The Unique Power of Print: A Cognitive Advantage When was the last time you truly savoured an email? Unlike digital communications, printed materials demand attention in a way that feels immersive and personal. Research consistently shows that the brain processes print differently—and often more effectively—than digital text. For instance, a study [...]

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Totally Mailed It: Marketreach Amplifies Direct Mail’s Enduring Impact

By |2024-10-21T09:19:47+00:00October 21st, 2024|

Marketreach has unveiled a new campaign: "Totally Mailed It which is underscoring the relevance of DM in today’s marketing mix. Whilst it isn't revealing any great secrets, after all we all know direct mail works, it is arming us with fresh ammunition to reinforce that message to our clients. In a world where digital spend dominates, this campaign reminds us why direct mail continues to be a powerhouse in the marketing mix: Tangibility: Physical mail creates lasting impressions, with 33% better recall than digital ads. In a sea of ephemeral content, something you can hold stands out. Personalisation: It's not just about adding a name - it's about relevance. The campaign highlights how tailored messages drive significantly higher engagement rates. [...]

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Ensuring Data Accuracy in the Age of AI: A Lesson from AI-Generated Mistakes from across the Pond

By |2024-08-07T09:55:32+00:00August 7th, 2024|

In recent months, significant incidents have highlighted the pitfalls of AI when it comes to maintaining data accuracy in public records. These events serve as a crucial reminder of the importance of data hygiene, particularly for organisations that rely on precise data processing. The Incident: Pregnant Woman Wrongly Accused One notable incident involved a pregnant woman in Detroit who was falsely arrested based on AI-generated evidence. Porcha Woodruff, eight months pregnant at the time, was wrongly identified by an AI system as a suspect in a carjacking case. This led to her wrongful arrest and detention for 11 hours, causing her significant emotional distress and physical complications leading to hospitalisation. This case is part of a broader pattern, with several [...]

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Great News for the Direct Mail Industry: Time to Capitalise on the Boom!

By |2024-07-30T14:56:00+00:00July 30th, 2024|

The UK has witnessed its most significant upward revision to marketing budgets in a decade, with companies' financial prospects at their most positive in nearly three years, according to the latest IPA Bellwether Report. This positive trend presents an opportunity for the direct mail industry, which has emerged as a major beneficiary of this increased spending. Direct Mail: A Rising Star The report reveals that direct mail was the second-biggest growth area, trailing only behind events. Budgets for direct mail have been increasing for six successive quarters. The report found that almost a fifth (19.3%) of surveyed companies have increased their direct mail budgets for the next period, aligning with their preparations for Christmas 2024 activities. Capitalising on the Boom [...]

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In Conversation with MS Society: Exclusion is Key – It’s Not What They Want, It’s What They Don’t Want That Counts

By |2024-08-05T08:24:32+00:00June 19th, 2024|

In Conversation with MS Society: Exclusion is Key - It's Not What They Want, It's What They Don’t Want That Counts In the increasingly tricky world of data management, the key to success often lies in the details of what you exclude rather than what you include. This principle is nowhere more critical than in the charitable sector, where sensitivity and precision in data handling can significantly impact both operational effectiveness and the well-being of those they serve. We recently spoke with Rachel Draper, Database Manager at MS Society, about their approach to data cleansing using SwiftCleanse, which is proving key for ensuring that their communications are both accurate and respectful. Generating Goodwill through Relevant Communications The value of data [...]

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A Data Protection Update

By |2024-06-04T08:32:56+00:00June 4th, 2024|

Last week marked the sixth anniversary of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a landmark in data protection that revolutionised how personal data is handled across Europe. However, as many people reflect on GDPR's impact, the future of data protection regulation in the UK hangs in the balance following the recent mothballing of the Data Protection & Digital Information Bill (DPDI). The Demise of DPDI The Government’s decision to exclude the DPDI from its “wash up” process, a fast-track mechanism for essential legislation before Parliament is dissolved, has led to significant uncertainty. Initially introduced in 2021, the DPDI aimed to modernise the UK's data protection framework. However, it was still navigating the committee stage in the House of Lords when [...]

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Top 10 sectors that fail to report data breaches revealed

By |2024-05-24T11:34:57+00:00May 24th, 2024|

As we ‘celebrate’ the 6th birthday of GDPR a new study finds that over half of all data breaches in the UK in 2023 were not reported within the required 72-hour window. The report from Hayes Connor revealed the sectors with the worst track record. These were: Local Government: 51.32% General Business: 49.16% Marketing: 47.50% Justice: 47.06% Regulators: 46.81% Membership Associations: 46.67% Online Technology and Telecoms: 45.37% Media: 45.16% Central Government: 44.57% Retail and Manufacture: 43.94% Failing to report a breach within this timeframe can result in significant fines of up to £17.5 million or 4% of global turnover, whichever is higher. However, in practice, most firms receive minimal penalties. A key finding of the research is that in the [...]

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