June 19, 2014

Q&A: Sanjeevan Bala, Head of Data Planning and Analytics at Channel 4

Sanjeevan Bala, Head of Data Planning and Analytics at Channel 4, will be among the keynote speakers at the Figaro Digital Marketing Conference in London on 17 July.

Hello Sanjeevan. Please give us a quick introduction to what you’ll be discussing at the Figaro Digital Marketing Conference.

Consumer-facing brands are increasingly realising the value of data from a commercial perspective. It’s now more critically important than ever to establish a trust-based relationship with consumers. Without a foundation of trust, brands are at risk of short-term exploitation with profound long-term implications for customer experience and brand equity. And let’s face it, do any of us really read pages of T&Cs? Isn’t there a better way to communicate what we are doing with consumer data in a simple and more understandable manner?

Why does this matter to marketers right now?

A number of brands have built a significant amount of ‘trust equity’ with consumers. With a growing awareness of the value of data, brands will need to constantly evaluate how they are using consumer data for business benefits.

We’re impatient! Can we have one key take-away from your presentation?

Focus on developing a compelling value exchange with your consumers and develop a relationship based on transparency (be open and honest about what you are doing with consumer data) and controls (let consumers control what you are doing with their data).

What’s the single biggest issue facing marketers in your sector at the moment?

Having the right capabilities in place to consistently deliver on the customer experience across all touch-points. 

If we provided you with a magic wand that enabled you to make one change to the digital marketing landscape, what would it be? 

Get rid of all the hype about big data and move the focus beyond just the technology!