GDPR and Data First Party: solutions for a world without cookies

GDPR and Data First Party: solutions for a world without cookies

Cookies are endangered species. New regulations on the collection and use of personal data are making it difficult for marketers to understand and predict the behavior of their audience.

However, there are solutions for navigating this digital world without cookies. In this article, we present one of the most effective levers available to brands: first-party data.

What are cookies and why are they so important in marketing?

Cookies are information files stored in web browsers. In practical terms, they enable us to track a user’s online behavior and provide companies with information. They can then use it to personalise their customer experience or optimise online advertising.

More specifically, there are 4 types of cookies:

  • Internal cookies: which are hosted on the site and do not share the information obtained with other platforms;
  • Third-party cookies: (the most controversial) the latter send the data to the platforms of online shops (in particular advertising technology solutions);
  • Temporary cookies: only stored in the browser during the user’s session;
  • Permanent cookies: which store information for future visits.

Cookies are therefore a valuable source of information to analyse the behaviour of their potential customers and better understand needs. They help to improve the purchasing process by providing information at the right time. They can be used to optimise online marketing campaigns by segmenting the target audience.

Why are we heading for a world without cookies?

Users are increasingly concerned about the protection of their personal data. They are aware that they are being tracked online (for retargeting purposes) and are demanding transparency when it comes to the collection and use of data.

According to a study by Pew Research, 81% of Internet users believe that collecting their data presents more risks than benefits.

In response to user dissatisfaction, browsers have begun to delete third-party cookies. This is the case for Google Chrome, but also for Safari and Firefox. The same applies to mobile applications, especially since the launch of iOS 14, which has introduced radical protection for user data.

New frameworks have also been put in place to regulate or even abolish the use of cookies altogether.

  • Article 5(3) of Directive 2002/58/EC. Lays down the principle of prior consent from the user before information can be stored on device or before information already stored can be accessed.
  • The GDPR – General Data Protection Regulation (and in particular articles 4(11) and 7) reaffirmed the need for user consent. It specifies that this consent must be free, specific, informed and unambiguous. In addition, users must be able to withdraw their consent at any time, with the same ease with which they gave it.

What data collection practices should be favoured?

For brands, data protection poses a number of challenges. It is becoming more difficult to collect data, and therefore to personalise content or even optimise advertising budgets.

To get round these obstacles, companies are turning to alternatives that no longer rely on third-party cookies. This has several advantages:

  • That of owning your own data and no longer being dependent on third parties.
  • Companies are active in collecting data, which enables them to gather authentic information. In fact, this data is shared directly and transparently by their customers or prospects (in exchange for personalised offers or discounts).
  • Organisations are taking a more ethical and respectful approach. They therefore create a relationship of trust, in which customers are informed about the data they share, how it is used and the benefits they can derive from it.

First-party data: the best solution to the end of cookies?

With the arrival of the GDPR, not to mention the tightening grip of the GAFAs on the global advertising market, companies have begun to refocus on first-party and zero-party data.

First-party data corresponds to information collected directly by advertisers and medias. It includes declarative data that is shared by users (when they fill in a form or sign up for a service/subscription). 

This data is therefore known as ‘proprietary’ data, as opposed to second or third-party data (collected and shared by third parties).

When it comes to acquiring data, companies will be concentrating on their internal databases. But also on new advertising technology solutions (those powered by gamification).

Thanks to first-party data, they can continue to collect data. But above all, they will have access to precise and effective information, whether for email automation, the sending of web notifications or social media campaigns.

By respecting consumer demands for transparency, brands increase the likelihood that their audience will provide them more information. They will have confidence in the way their data is used. For emailing first party data, shared voluntarily and demonstrating an interest in the brand’s offer, will result in better open rates… It will therefore result in a better deliverability rate (i.e. fewer emails in the spam box).

Gamification as a solution for collecting 1st party data

Gamification (or playable marketing), the application of game mechanics to marketing campaigns, fits in perfectly with companies’ data collection strategies. Interactive, fun content is naturally attractive and engaging. It is therefore visible and generates more interaction.

To take part in the game, and hope to win rewards, prospects will be inclined to fill in a form. And therefore to share zero party data. But the game mechanics can be effective levers for obtaining information about customers.

Let’s take the example of swiper mechanics which involves scrolling through images according to your preferences. It then informs brands about the buying trends and needs of its target. This mechanism can use this first party data to make personalised recommendations or segment campaigns.

Example-swiper

Conclusion

The end of cookies is an opportunity for brands to change their data collection practices. First-party data will enable them to obtain relevant and transparent information, and therefore to create and maintain a relationship of trust with their audience. To collect first-party data, rely on gamification and discover all our different interactive advertising formats!

In just 30 minutes, we’ll show you how to launch your own high-performance interactive marketing campaign.

Interactive surveys: the engaging solution for collecting opinions

Interactive surveys: the engaging solution for collecting opinions

With the depreciation of data and the end of third-party cookies, companies are constantly looking for new ways to collect customer opinion and feedback. Surveys have always been a very practical way of gathering data about your target audience. But its gamified format, the interactive survey, is proving even more effective.

In fact, 89% of consumers say that when a task is gamified, they are more motivated to complete it because of its competitive and playful nature.

In this article, we present the advantages of interactive surveys to better understand the expectations of your audience. We’ll also look at how to use gamification to boost engagement, obtain relevant responses and optimise your campaigns.

What is a survey?

A poll is a survey in which data is collected from a specific group of people. The aim is to acquire more in-depth knowledge about the various questions you ask yourself about your marketing target: what are its consumer habits, its budget, its preferred purchasing channel, and so on.

Why use surveys to improve your marketing campaigns?

The different types of survey

Just as there are several reasons to share a survey with your audience, there are also different survey formats :

  • Market research surveys These are used upstream of a project to gauge the needs and aspirations of the target audience. It is aimed at companies wishing to launch themselves with a new audience. It can also help them find out how they are positioned in relation to their competitors, or whether there is a demand for a new product.
  • Satisfaction surveys (or NPS – for Net Promoter Score). This type of survey is used to assess whether customers are satisfied with the company’s experience or offering. In practical terms, it involves indicating, on a scale of 1 to 10, how likely it is that the consumer will recommend the brand to friends and family.
  • Awareness surveys : They involve asking shoppers about their knowledge of the brand. This is a good way of measuring the success of an advertising campaign, for example, or identifying unexpected associations that consumers may make with the company.

Why opt for interactive surveys?

The simple act of asking someone for their opinion is already an effective way of capturing their attention and increasing their commitment. However, responding to a survey can also be a tedious task, especially if the format is not adapted to the audience.

As we have already discussed in other articles, the trend is towards interactive marketing. Users are looking for entertaining formats that introduce game mechanisms to make content more engaging.

Gamification will motivate more people to take part in a survey, which is why it’s a good idea to opt for interactive surveys.

Those surveys can serve several purposes:

  • Increase the number of participants and the survey completion rate. The main reason why users rarely complete a survey is that when the format is not interactive or is too long, it loses interest. Incorporating a game element makes the survey more engaging and attractive. This will encourage participants to complete it in order to obtain the reward that has been promised.
  • Obtain better quality data. The aim is not only to increase the response rate, but also to improve the quality of the data collected. If the survey is entertaining, participants will be more likely to give honest answers. This is particularly important if the survey includes more in-depth questions.
  • Increase brand awareness and customer loyalty. By creating fun surveys, participants will associate the brand with this enjoyable experience. They will be more likely to click, comment or even visit the brand’s website afterwards.

How do you gamify your interactive surveys?

Several interactive survey formats are available to make their feedback forms engaging. Companies can :

1. Turning a survey into a battle

example survey 1
A company that wants to know the tastes and preferences of its audience can gamify its survey by presenting it in the form of a battle. For example, rather than simply asking who their favorite influencer is (in order to optimise its influencer marketing, for example), it can create a battle of content creators by asking participants to choose a winner at each slide.

2. Replace the yes/no format with a swiper

Example-swiper

Rather than sharing a survey with closed ‘Yes or No’ questions, brands can make the experience more interactive by opting for the swiper. This format is reminiscent of dating applications. Participants drag an image to the right if they like or agree, and to the left if they don’t.

3. Transforming an awareness survey into an interactive quiz

Instead of sending out a long form to test your audience’s knowledge, Trivia is an interactive alternative. This survey format makes it possible to engage participants, who can test their knowledge and even compare their results with other players.

4. Motivating participants with a personality test

Personality tests are another very popular format for interactive surveys. It allows companies to learn more about their customers and enrich their CRM. But it’s also a way of encouraging participants to complete the survey, since the reward is learning more about their personality. For Valentine’s Day, the personality test can reveal the user’s profile and make personalised recommendations.

In 30 minutes, we show you how to launch your own high-performance interactive survey.

Fashion marketing: gamification as a strategic lever

Fashion marketing: gamification as a strategic lever

Fashion marketing has faced unique challenges. Brands must adapt to new trends, including consumer trends. It has also become complex to identify the marketing messages and channels that can effectively target customers and potential new markets.

Gamification – incorporating game-based elements into a marketing strategy – is proving to be one of the most effective ways to meet today’s challenges. It’s a way of facilitating interaction with consumers who are demanding authenticity. But gamifying your shopping experience, both online and offline, is also a way of updating your branding and modernising your image.

In this article, we’ll be looking at how fashion marketing can successfully update through gamification. We’ll look at the stages of the customer journey that can benefit from the introduction of game mechanics.

The key issues in fashion marketing

The purchasing behaviour of fashion consumers has changed in recent years. In particular, they have been transformed by the arrival of e-commerce, but also by the pandemic.

New players have also entered the fashion market. Those known as DNVBs (Digital Native Vertical Brands) have rapidly competed with the more established brand. They created a strong connection from the outset, with a highly engaged community of customers.

The channels through which consumers discover fashion are no longer the same. Yet fashion marketing has had to adapt to digital, and social networks. Luxury brands have undergone a major change in their branding and communication codes by moving onto media such as TikTok.

The rise of young Gen Z consumers has also reshuffled the deck. Fashion marketing that relied on inaccessible muses has given way to influencers and UGC (User Generated Content). Therefore to more authentic communication and less retouched visuals.

Inclusiveness, digitisation and data collection

The values of inclusiveness, transparency and sustainability are central to standing out from the crowd and to win consumer’s loyalty (particularly younger ones). Fashion brands need to review their production chain, but also their product range (by including unisex clothing and accessories).

Finally, the explosion of online shopping also poses challenges for fashion marketing. The introduction of an omnichannel customer journey, which can start in-store (for consideration), continue online (for purchase) and return to retail (for returns management). That involves a change in marketing paradigm.

Brands therefore need to open up to more fluid,  marketing strategies in order to adapt to these upheavals. The issue of data and audience knowledge will also be decisive in adopting a positioning. But also for an offer that is aligned with their customers’ expectations.

 

Why gamify your fashion brand?

Gamified marketing is a strategy that involves using games to strengthen the conversion funnel. Integrating interactive and playful elements into the customer journey is a way of arousing consumer interest. Indeed it permits to effectively conveying brand values and encouraging users to move from consideration to purchase.

In a demanding sector like fashion, gamification can provide a competitive advantage that will be crucial in standing out from the crowd and encouraging consumers to buy from your brand.

Easy to integrate into the sales funnel, playable marketing addresses issues specific to fashion marketing.

Strengthen your branding

Luxury brands have understood the appeal of gamification as a way of rebranding themselves to a younger audience. They have drawn on new tools such as the metaverse and NFTs to appeal to young consumers (and even more directly to gaming fans).

Some offered digital versions of their most iconic pieces to dress up your video game avatar. Another interesting user case is the fashion shows organised in the metaverse, which have democratised events that were considered elitist. As a result, brands have been able to increase the reach and visibility of their catwalk shows.

Without using such advanced technologies, brands can reinforce their branding with low-fi gamification mechanisms such as a Wheel of Fortune. That’s the choice Kiabi has made. The fashion brand has launched an engaging campaign dedicated to highlighting its second-hand offer. The aim of the campaign was to make this offer grow and shine. But also to communicate its commitment to make fashion sustainable and socially responsible.

Example fashion marketing

Boosting community involvement

Gamification is not just a way of democratising fashion marketing. On the contrary, it can be an excellent way of reinforcing a sense of belonging to an exclusive community. Kenzo gave access to its own game for limited number of its most loyal customers. 

Tape à l’Oeil, for its part, relied on playable marketing to attract new customers. For its anniversary, it set up
a 100% winning Wheel of Fortune
in France and Belgium. The campaign generated 48k opt-in leads. The brand was then able to reactivate them and turn them into customers by distributing prizes.

Fashion marketing example TAO

Increase the visibility of a new collection

As already mentioned, organising fashion shows in the metaverse or through interactive video games is a way of reaching a new audience. Moreover it’s a way to boost the launch of a product or a new collection. This is what Balenciaga has done, by forming a partnership with the game Afterworld: The Age of Tomorrow.

The interactive format offered by gamification allows users to discover clothes in a more immersive context. In this case, they could navigate in a virtual reality with characters dressed in the new collection.

The BZB brand also relied on playable marketing, via the Flip & Win mechanism, to launch its summer collection and generate new leads.

Fashion marketing

Increase sales through promotions

Reward systems specific to video games can be powerful conversion levers. In fashion marketing, this logically take the form of promotions, vouchers to encourage participants to place orders with the brand.

Instant Wins mecanics permite to boost a campaign’s virality. But above all, it’s about turning participants into buyers. The opportunity to win discount vouchers will generate traffic to the brand’s shop and increase sales.

Optimising qualification and collecting product preferences

Finally, gamification mechanisms such as battles and swiper ads give fashion brands a better understanding of consumer preferences. The principle of having to choose between two looks or two pieces will give valuable indications of the fashion trends to be explored. It’s also an effective way of gathering the product preferences of your audience and sending them targeted marketing campaigns (recommendations).

Conclusion

Gamification is a powerful way to promote a product, raise awareness of your company and strengthen brand memory. To boost your marketing performance, all you have to do is discover all our interactive mechanisms and customise them to suit your brand universe.

In just 30 minutes, we’ll show you how to launch your own high-performance interactive marketing campaign.

Drive to store: 4 strategies to better in-store conversions

Drive to store: 4 strategies to better in-store conversions

Consumer habits have changed, particularly with e-commerce and the increase in online sales. The way in which brands reach, engage and retain customers must adapt to these practices. One of the crucial challenges for companies is to increase in-store traffic, through drive to store campaigns.

These are an integral part of the harmonisation of the shopping journeys. In an increasingly omnichannel world, brands need to be able to engage and convert customers both in-store and online.

In this article, we present the 4 most effective strategies for attracting consumers to your shops and converting them into loyal customers.

What is drive to store in marketing?

Drive-to-store is a set of strategies designed to attract online customers to physical shops. It’s an omnichannel approach that combines consumer geolocation, recommendation and optimisation of the experience.

While consumer habits have tended to go digital during the pandemic, in-store shopping is not a thing of the past. Customers continue to embrace retail experience, whether to discover the world of a brand, test its products, return or exchange an order placed online.

Drive to store is a central element of modern marketing, despite the fact that 62% of consumers say they will refuse to buy from a brand if it has no online presence. The discovery stage is carried out via digital channels, but physical purchasing has not said its last word.

A recent study shows that 72% of people who carry out a local search online will go to a shop located less than 8 kilometres away of their location. This underlines the importance of an online presence in redirecting prospects to points of sale.

What’s more, 28% of local searches result in a purchase. An omnichannel promotional campaign – one that harnesses the power of multiple channels – can help businesses attract visitors to their physical shops and generate retail conversions.

What are the most effective strategies for a drive-to-store campaign?

An effective drive-in-store campaign involves using digital and physical tools to attract and convert customers in-store. Here are the most effective ways of achieving this.

1. Localised advertising campaigns

The particularity of Drive to Store is that, to be effective, it needs to target consumers who live or are located close to a point of sale. Qualifying prospects is a crucial element in maximising the ROI of your budget.

A good way of achieving this is to display your ads to a geolocalised audience near a physical shop. Social networks such as Facebook, have developed advertising targeting tools specifically for Drive to store. This is the case with Meta’s Store Traffic objective, which redirects users from an advertising insert to a physical point of sale.

Referencing your shops on Google Maps is another lever in any successful drive-to-store strategy. 86% of consumers use Google Maps to find local businesses.

2. Offer Click & Collect

The Click&Collect principle is simple. It consists of offering customers collect their online order from the nearest shop. The advantage of this strategy is that it offers an alternative to home deliveries, which can occur when the customer is not at home. It is also a way for consumers to save on postage costs.

For the brand, encouraging a customer who has already been won over (because they have just bought from the brand) in-store is beneficial in a number of ways. It’s an opportunity to strengthen its links with the company by immersing them in their world. This approach can play a part in the post-purchase conversion strategy by recommending complementary offers to customers in shop.

3. Offer exceptional discounts to in-store customers

Offering exclusive discounts to consumers in-store is an effective way of boosting your drive-to-store strategy. Sales available only in retail outlets, as well as clearance sales, are ways of attracting customers to a physical point of sale.

4. Gamification to maximise in-store conversions

Playable marketing is another way of attracting consumers to the shop, but also to convert them. Broadcast online, an interactive game can enable participants to win discount or purchase vouchers that are valid in-store.

But gamification can also be used as a lever for visibility and conversion. Whether in the form of a digital interactive terminal or tablets available at the checkout, these phygital devices make the experience attractive and fun.

Here again, it’s the opportunity to win rewards via an in-store competition that will encourage consumers to enter the point of sale and interact with the brand. Not to mention that, for the brand, it’s a way of collect qualified data. It will then be able to use this data to optimise its future drive-to-store campaigns.

Best practice for a successful drive to store campaign

Let’s move on to the practical side. To boost the impact of a Drive to Store strategy, here’s some advice to apply before, during and after the campaign.

    Before the campaign

    • Targeting the right audiences based on their geolocation to boost its conversion rate. Brands should start by drawing up a list of their points of sale so that they can target the right audience. Note that it is important to consider a radius that encompasses a reasonable walking or driving time.
    • Use attractive creative formats to capture consumers’ attention. Providing relevant information from the nearest shop also boosts the impact of the Drive to store campaign.
    • Define the right attribution window (i.e. the length of the period taken into account before conversion, during which the contribution of marketing contact points is collected and analysed). A window of between 15 and 30 days enables you to monitor footfall in your shops and focus on the effective advertising channels.

      During the campaign

      Dive into granular reports. The success of a Drive to Store campaign can mean different things to advertisers. Granular reporting tools make it possible to drill down into the data that is relevant, depending on whether it just wants to increase traffic, convert new customers, increase its re-purchase rate and build customer loyalty

      After the campaign

      Measure conversions in real time. This makes it possible to focus on 3 key KPIs: the improvement factor (i.e. the probability that a visit to a shop is motivated by the Drive to store campaign), the percentage of exposure and the percentage of visits.

      Conclusion

      The Drive to Store strategy is therefore the cornerstone for brands wishing to activate their prospects and customers across all their channels, both digital and physical. One of the most effective tools for strengthening the omnichannel customer journey is gamification. Discover our interactive mechanisms to increase the visibility and appeal of your points of sale.

      In just 30 minutes, we’ll show you how to launch your own high-performance interactive marketing campaign.

      What data strategy for the future and how to implement it?

      What data strategy for the future and how to implement it?

      In the age of ‘big data’, and given the huge amount of data to which businesses now have access, it is becoming crucial for them to put in place a relevant data strategy. This is especially true in a world where data is becoming an increasingly valuable currency.

      The transition to GA4 (Google Analytics 4) was already shaping up to be a colossal challenge for marketing teams. But the latest earthquake to rock the data landscape is the imminent end of third-party cookies announced by Google for July 2024.

      This transition, which has already been made by Apple and Firefox, is forcing companies to rethink their customer data collection strategy and therefore their marketing campaigns. In this article, we share some practical advice and effective levers for updating your data strategy.

      Why do you need a data strategy?

      In a world where lead acquisition costs and the cost per click of the main advertising networks are exploding, companies are being forced to rationalise their marketing efforts. They can no longer simply sail by sight and adjust their campaigns according to their performance, a posteriori.

      To invest their marketing budgets in the right channels, on the right messages and with the right audiences, they need to base each of their decisions on hard facts. And these proven facts take the form of customer data.

      These include a wide variety of information, but also of formats. Il peut s’agir de données démographiques ou comportementales, de fiches contact dans une base de données CRM, d’historique de ventes ou d’échanges avec le chatbot du service client, sans oublier les commentaires sur les réseaux sociaux.

      Collecting data, in sufficient quantity and of good quality, is essential for :

      • Make business decisions based on tangible, verifiable evidence;
      • Anticipating consumer trends and meeting consumer expectations;
      • Offer more suitable products or services;
      • Personalise your message and offer a better customer experience than your competitors.

      The challenge of personalisation in marketing

      This last point is very important to remember. It is, 74% of consumers say they are frustrated by receiving marketing messages (in the form of sponsored advertising on social networks or email campaigns) that are not tailored to their needs.

      Companies that don’t adopt a personalised marketing strategy are therefore more likely to be throwing their money away (by sending the wrong message to the wrong person). But they also risk devalue their brand image by giving consumers the feeling of being spammed and increasing their advertising burn-out.

      But the key to personalised marketing is to have the right tools for collecting, analysing and activating customer data.

      The 4 key elements of a data collection strategy

      Any good data strategy needs to answer the following question: how do you collect data, ensure it is relevant and use it effectively?

      Companies must therefore adopt a multi-dimensional approach that includes :

      Relevant data collection tools

      69% of consumers are more willing to interact with a brand that offers games or interactive marketing campaigns with prizes to be won. Companies therefore need to diversify their data sources by making the most of gamified experiences.

      These are all the more relevant in a cookieless context. En effet, le marketing interactif offre des sources de données plus fiables et RGPD friendly. Les informations collectées seront considérées comme de first-party data, i.e. data shared directly by users with their explicit consent.

      A data analysis tool

      Collecting data is not enough. A good data strategy also relies on the systematic and meticulous analysis of this information.

      The tool chosen by the company should preferably offer a visual representation. Data visualisation will enable all teams, even those least at ease with data, to draw relevant conclusions in terms of marketing strategy.

      Identifying the right frequency to collect data

      Brands need to be able to rely on relevant, regularly updated data. However, it is also crucial not to put too much pressure on users. Today’s users are more concerned about protecting their personal data.

      To strike the right balance, brands can not only rely on relevant incentives to share data (such as the prizes in a marketing competition, for example). But they will also need to establish a marketing calendar to ensure that their various campaigns are sufficiently spaced out.

      A data activation strategy

      As already mentioned, a good data strategy should above all help the company to make better decisions. It will be used primarily to optimise its marketing efforts, in particular by delivering a personalised message to each customer and prospect.

      A solution like Adictiz makes the most of the data collected. For example, companies can use it to segment their target audience, then send automated emails and personalised offers.

      How to develop your data strategy

      Now let’s get practical. Here are the 3 essential steps to develop a solid data strategy.

      1. Define your objectives

      Data collection can enable brands to optimise every stage of the conversion funnel. However, it is crucial to identify those that are the most strategic for the company, so that efforts can be focused in the right place.

      A brand that has just launched, for example, could focus on lead generation. A company with a low repeat purchase rate, on the other hand, should concentrate its efforts on providing personalised offers to build customer loyalty.

      2. Create targeted collection campaigns

      Depending on the objectives set and the audience, the company can then run targeted campaigns. The key is to diversify sources, using a mix of :

      • digital: via competitions on social networks, as well as post-purchase satisfaction surveys by email;
      • and retail: via interactive terminals or in-store events, for example.

      3. Test, analyse and optimise

      A good data strategy serves all stages of the customer journey, from identifying new leads to conversion levers, not forgetting post-purchase loyalty. To measure the quality of your data and the relevance of the marketing decisions you make on the basis of it, AB testing is crucial.

      Defining relevant KPIs will make it easier to analyse the performance of each collection scenario. These metrics must, of course, be aligned with the objectives chosen for the data marketing campaign.

      The company can then put in place a virtuous loop consisting of :

      • testing new strategies,
      • analyse their results,
      • and continuously improve its data collection process.

      Adictiz supports you at every stage of your data strategy. From creating and distributing collection scenarios to analysing and activating your customer data, find out more about our all-in-one Playable marketing solution.

      In just 30 minutes, we’ll show you how to launch your own high-performance interactive marketing campaign.