The Modern Marketing Association (MMA Global) has announced the preliminary results of their Data Maturity Survey. The UAE survey was launched in partnership with SAS, to explore the levels of data maturity across different organisations.
MMA Global collected input from UAE based companies in various industries to answer how companies are responding to data, the key building blocks of data maturity, the key challenges and roadblocks hinder progress and best practice.
The survey analysed five key areas, data types and usage ROI measurement and attribution, capabilities and skills, compliance and security and data ownership governance and integration.
The key highlights from the preliminary results showed that Consumer data is being used to a large extent with over 80 per cent using it either to a great extent (46 per cent), to some extent (19 per cent) or to a moderate extent (19 per cent). Whilst usage of consumer data is high, a big focus needs to be on building trust in the consumer data and improving its quality to make better decisions.
Measurement is not always consistent or continuous, with more measuring sometimes or infrequently than those that always or consistently do (56 per cent versus 45 per cent).
Nearly two thirds see high or some lift in marketing productivity due to leveraging data. Although nearly 1/4 are not measuring marketing efficiency. Companies are seeing lift in marketing productivity by leveraging data, but measurement and attribution are challenged and not always continuous or validated.
Only one in three companies use attribution extensively and 16 per cent are not aware of attribution.
29 per cent have robust validation models but 54 per cent have issues and challenges, with 18 per cent having inconclusive results.
Training exists but nearly half of respondents see it as minimal, inconsistent, and outdated, with 17 per cent receiving no training. A key area for focus and significant improvement.
Whilst most companies have security plans in place, there’s a huge gap between those that are compliant and transparent and those that need to work harder on this.
Melis Ertem, MENAT regional director of MMA, said, “If we accept that data is the new oil, then data maturity mapping is the key tool for companies to adapt in the future of marketing and to realise maximum return. From this perspective as MMA, we collaborated globally with EY and developed a framework with a survey to assess the maturity of consumer data in organisations. We launched this assessment for the first time in the region in UAE in partnership with SAS. Our survey covered more than 20 variables of data maturity that represent some of the most important decision areas for marketers when it comes to formulate their data strategies and we encourage all companies to complete the full survey to shape the future of data in marketing.”
