The Association for Data-driven Marketing and Advertising (ADMA) today launched a new Code of Practice that ushers in a new era of industry self-regulation for data-driven marketing and advertising.

The ADMA Code of Practice places consumers’ interest at its core and gives marketers the support they need to make responsible decisions about data, technology, creativity and content.

“The future of marketing and advertising self-regulation will be shaped by the behaviour and ethical decision-making of organisations in their data and marketing practices.  There is an absolute requirement to act ethically, and those who do so and put the customer first will win.” said ADMA CEO Jodie Sangster. “Our new Code provides the guidance they need to make good choices in a fluid, data-driven ecosystem.

“We have taken a ‘media-agnostic’ approach, establishing best practice standards across the multi-channel marketing and advertising landscape. Members need to put the consumers’ interests first, perfectly aligning self-regulation with the culture of customer-centric marketing.”

The regulatory developments over the last decade mean that data-driven marketers and advertisers face a complex regulatory regime.  The Code assists companies with compliance but, more importantly, allows industry to be flexible and agile, setting benchmarks which establish best practice.  Legislation rarely evolves at the same pace as the industry it seeks to regulate, so customer-centric self-regulation becomes imperative in order to avoid innovation-killing and industry-stifling intervention.

The Code requires members to consider the target audience when scheduling the delivery of commercial communications by whatever channel. They must operate fairly, honestly and transparently. When using data from third parties, they must satisfy themselves it has been properly sourced, permissioned and cleaned. They must also accept responsibility for actions taken on their behalf by subcontractors and other suppliers.

Members will be given Code Guidelines where required that help them to interpret and apply the principles contained in the Code. A seven-strong independent Code Authority will manage unresolved consumer complaints.

“Ultimately, what we are striving for is greater consumer trust and confidence in the integrity of our members. The ADMA membership logo should be seen as a badge of trust.  Consumers should be reassured by the fact that compliance with the Code is mandatory for members and that if something does go wrong there is an independent, no-cost, expedient avenue for resolution through the Code Authority.  Ultimately, not only does the Code represent a win for consumers but it contributes to the commercial growth and corporate sustainability of our members,” concluded Sangster.