As 2018 comes to an end, and we look back on the last twelve months, what really stands out is the central role data has played not only in the world of marketing, but also on the world stage.

Access to users’ data has given big brands unprecedented power (if they have the processes and expertise in place to harness it properly). And yes, with that comes great responsibility.

Of course, compliance was very much on marketers’ minds in the lead-up to the GDPR deadline in May. The new regulations were complex and somewhat open to interpretation.  As many brands scrambled to ensure their internal and external processes met the necessary requirements, our inboxes were flooded with last minute privacy policies and slightly desperate sounding pleas to opt-in again. And then everyone let out a big sigh of relief when it was all over.

It’s safe to say however that GDPR will continue to have an impact in 2019 and beyond. Writing on May 25th, the day the new laws came into force, Signal Business Partner Mark Collins advised that charities in particular now have to do much more to nurture mutually beneficial relationships with their audiences. This applies to other sectors too, as he points out:

“GDPR will (quite rightly) mean that every individual is more aware of their data rights, and they will be more likely to turn off this consent if their relationship with an organisation gives them reason to do this.”


But while the new laws are undoubtedly a big win for data protection, web usability has taken a hit due to general confusion over what best practice means (please, make the pop-ups stop!). Still, maybe the new ePrivacy regulation, which is likely to be finalised/come into force in 2019 will clarify things.

The regulation didn’t stop there. We’ve also seen the rules around influencer marketing clarified by the ASA, although, as our Outreach Manager Lauren Cormack writes, there is still room for interpretation there too.

Once more unto the breach - a very bad year for Facebook

Speaking of social media, Facebook were hit by mainstream news reports of one data disaster after another during 2018, no doubt further eroding public trust in how their information is being used (or misused) by big companies. 

The company’s nonchalant approach to user information in the past came back to bite them, when the Cambridge Analytica scandal came to light in March. CEO Mark  Zuckerberg ending up testifying in Congress - refresh your memories on the key points with this helpful summary from Planner Jamie McAdam. 

Facebook’s annus horribilis didn’t end there however, with news of further dodgy data practices coming thick and fast, including leaked emails that seemed to confirm that the company might not always have users’ best interests at heart. 

Meanwhile, even Facebook-owned Instagram, which previously seemed immune to its parent company’s run of bad juju (or at least negative press), has recently been shown to be a hotbed of Russian propaganda. More trouble at t’mill was hinted at when Instagram’s founders also called it quits this year, following the less than stellar launch of the IGTV platform (likely an attempt to reduce the impact of the TikTok video app, which is growing incredibly fast among young audiences).

Google didn’t escape either, announcing the abrupt closure of their social network, Google Plus in October. What had once been a much-vaunted threat to Facebook had of course been long abandoned by the search giant. Which made it a convenient sacrificial lamb when they eventually got round to disclosing a data leak that had come to light in the spring. CEO Sundar Pichai ended up in front of Congress anyway, where the questions being asked only highlighted a startling lack of insight amongst senior lawmakers into how the internet and technology actually works. Something that should be of concern for the big tech companies, given that increased US regulation of the sector now seems increasingly likely.

Big brands of course don’t have the same luxury as the US Congress when it comes to remaining ignorant of technological progress. The need for big organisations to adapt to our ultra-connected, data-centric world became even more pressing this year, and digital transformation showed impressive staying power as a buzzword. But as digital now permeates everything we do, it has become an increasingly meaningless term. 

Focusing on the idea of digital and data maturity can provide more clarity for brands however, not least in helping them identify the specific changes they can make to serve their audiences better, sooner.

The charity sector in particular faces a ‘change conundrum’, according to Signal’s Senior Planner Mark Dibden - with a current lack of commercial urgency reducing their likelihood to take action, despite the knowledge that the world is rapidly changing around them. But as he suggests, data analysis can help provide the clarity needed to move forward so charities can work out the scale and speed of change that’s right for them.

Breaking down internal silos was also a big theme at the Institute of Fundraising’s annual conference, as evidenced by articles from Senior Planner Maxine Horsman and Marketing Manager Lauren MacRae:

Collaboration, not competition - why charities need to challenge the silo situation

IOF Convention 2018 - challenging the fundraising status quo.

We’ve also been busy breaking down internal barriers at Signal. In November we announced that Brightsource and Signal have merged, bringing together our expertise in digital, analytics and decisioning (Signal) with our expertise in automation and marketing operations (Brightsource). See Managing Director Barney Hosey’s article for more details. 

Earlier in the year, Signal’s Strategy Director Phil Adams announced our purpose and principles, and explained the process involved and why getting it right is so important:

“We believe that if we get the culture right, we’ll get the work and the client relationships right, and if we get those things right, commercial success will take care of itself.”


Our commitment to chasing a vibrant culture was exemplified by initiatives such as our annual Wellness Week and an incredible effort from our intrepid team of China Trekkers who raised over £7,900 for The British Heart Foundation.

As well as creating not one but two websites for The European Championships (one of 2018’s major international sporting events), supporting the Innovative Medicine Initiative and European Diabetes Forum, and continuing to support the world’s biggest arts festival, we were also involved in a few other happenings this year:

We were delighted to enter the Econsultancy Top 100 Digital Agencies list at number 23 this year.

We sponsored, and provided the creative for the Marketing Star Awards (spoiler alert - we’ve done it again for 2019), and even picked up an award for our social media success for Jim Beam. 

We donated our time and expertise to the BIMA Digital Day (the biggest ever in Scotland) and to create a brand new website for the football-themed charity Street Soccer.

The Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) in May led to the formation of an in-house, cross-discipline accessibility team.

The D&AD Festival gave two of our creatives a boost of inspiration. And REACT Amsterdam had a similar impact for two members of our software development team. Meanwhile, two of our copywriters picked up storytelling tips from the Harper’s Bazaar Literary Salon.

We also had a good showing at DMA Scotland’s Copywriting Club. Signal’s Head of Media Technology Andrew Girdwood joined me to talk about how Signal uses AI. And our Marketing Manager Lauren MacRae gave the lowdown on ethical (and not so ethical) influencer marketing in the health industry. Thanks to our friends at Yard who kindly wrote up both events.

We were also delighted when The Drum called attention to our short film for The Famous Grouse and online dinosaur keeper game for Scottish Friendly. 

All in all, it’s been a busy year for us and our clients, and no doubt for all of our colleagues across the marketing industry. Here’s to another unpredictable year in 2019. But first, let’s enjoy a well deserved festive break!

2018 Marketing Review: With Big Data, Comes Great Responsibility

Looking back on an eventful year for marketers.

Okay, we know. It’s the 25th May and we’re guessing there are four little letters you probably never want to hear again, let alone read about. 

You’ve likely lived and breathed GDPR for the past 6 months, with not a day going by without today’s much-hyped deadline and what it means for your supporters’ data on your mind. 

And now, naturally, we’d all like to have a bit of a rest and not think about consent, legitimate interest, personally identifiable information and all the other intricacies of the new laws. 

Well, sorry to break it to you, but dropping the GDPR ball now is the last thing anyone should be doing - especially charities. Today is just the start of the consent process - not the end of it. 

Your charity will have spent a lot of time getting databases in order, policies written and permission granted for communications to existing supporters, but you can’t afford to rest on your laurels now. GDPR will (quite rightly) mean that every individual is more aware of their data rights, and they will be more likely to turn off this consent if their relationship with an organisation gives them reason to do this.

Charities must take this opportunity to leverage the momentum that has built up over the last few months by continuing to improve their long-term supporter relationships.

Understanding supporters better will help charities navigate this brave new world

To achieve this, charities will need to consistently give something back to the supporter, rather than value being a one-way street (ask, ask, ask). You can do this by connecting with supporters about the issues that matter to them most and giving them a strong reason to continue to stay engaged.

Call it what you like; a two-way relationship, stewardship, CRM - it’s the same thing. It all boils down to understanding what your audience cares about and how you can connect with them on a deeper level, and crafting content that reflects that.

Get this right and you’ll create an even stronger relationship than one based on ‘doing the right thing’ and donating. For example, the new supporter relationship could be built on showcasing inspiring, personalised examples of how donations are being used, or finding new ways to share your organisation’s expertise that provide tangible value to the supporter. 

This is a big shift, but a series of steps (some big, some small) is the best way to start. Here are a few ideas that will hopefully be helpful:

1. You’re not going to do this on your own

It’s likely that, in many instances, your charity will need to make changes internally. In the brave new world we live in, supporter engagement shouldn’t be just a job for the fundraising department. Acknowledging this is crucial. 

You’re going to need to break down internal silos and get teams working together across brand, marketing, IT and digital to make this happen. You need to be part of a connected team to make this change, not work on your own. 

The next step is to set a vision and re-evaluate how your success is measured. Prioritise supporter experience as well as income.

Designing better relationships with supporters will mean consent shouldn’t be a barrier. But it also offers much wider benefits - higher engagement and increased satisfaction, for example.

Get this right and the income targets should take care of themselves. 

3. Be practical and pragmatic - work out where to start

Think big, start small, and act fast. Identify the first audience or products that have the most to gain, e.g. regular givers, and test here, before layering into other supporters or products. 

Supporter centricity, stewardship, CRM – they’re all the same thing, and the key to better supporter relationships is the sweet spot between:

Do you have a clear understanding of the parameters of the brand? Do you have quality insight in place which shows what the audience expects and needs? Use this insight and overlap as the basis for your strategy.

Once you know what your supporters need, you have to make sure the content is in place to continually serve them this information. How good is your organisation at gathering this information and, critically, sharing this information? 

What great stories can you share about where donations are going, what tips can you provide to help supporters with their problems? Content forums where people share internally are a great start.

Charities are bound to fail if we try and manage this change with manual data extracts and traditional creative briefing processes.

Embrace the automation technology that will make delivering this supporter-centric approach quicker, easier and more scalable - lots of CRM databases have this functionality. 

7. You’re not going to get this right straight away

Give yourself breathing room to try new things and permission to fail. The key here will be to test and learn from the results quickly.

Set plenty of tests that enable you to figure out the answer in the real world, then make sure you’ve got analytics in place and a team who can quickly huddle around the insights and look for ways to do better next time.

Supporter consent is not a ‘tick box exercise’ that can be dealt with once and forgotten about. We’re talking about living, breathing people whose goodwill can never be taken for granted. It needs to be valued and nurtured long-term. 

The new laws that come into effect today provide a solid foundation to ensure we are dealing with people’s personal data in the right way. But it’s how charities build on these basic guidelines in creative ways that will set them apart and ensure their long-term success.  

Happy GDPR Day! Charities, your big challenge starts now.

Dropping the GDPR ball now is the last thing anyone should be doing - especially charities.

data protection

2018 Marketing Review: With Big Data, Comes Great Responsibility

Happy GDPR Day! Charities, your big challenge starts now.

Cheltenham

Edinburgh

London