On 10th September 2024, Ayudante and Sparkline co-organised a seminar titled Marketing & Digital Analytics in a Privacy-Centric World. The event featured Takumi Shakuya (Shakky), Digital Strategy Director at Ayudante, and Joshua Ng, Measurement Lead at Google, who shared valuable insights on how businesses can adapt their customer engagement strategies in a privacy-first landscape, with a particular focus on digital analytics.
The event was held at Boat Quay, Singapore, a lively area close to the Central Business District and just a 10-minute walk from the famous Merlion. Thanks to the easy access to the venue and the event’s focus on trending topics in the digital industry, we had a great turnout on the day.
Opening: Jason on Key Themes and Privacy
During the seminar, Jason Pua, Solution Consultant at Sparkline, opened with an introduction to the key themes. He emphasised how critical privacy is to customers in the digital industry today. He also highlighted significant changes in both technology platforms and regulations, including GDPR and DMA in the EU, CPRA in the US, and LGPD in Brazil.
These regulations are driving the industry to adapt by building products that prioritise customer trust, data visibility, and personalisation. Companies need to:
- Provide transparency and offer users clear choices.
- Increase the value of interactions with users through community, content, or incentives.
- Leverage Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) to protect personal data while still enabling data-driven insights.
The focus must shift to privacy-centric strategies, including:
- First-party data.
- Contextual advertising.
- Personalisation using anonymised data.
Ultimately, this approach leads to long-term value, trust, loyalty, and enhanced lifetime value for customers.
Shakky on Third-Party Cookies and Privacy-Centric Solutions
After Jason’s opening speech, Shakky discussed the ongoing postponement of third-party cookie deprecation in Google Chrome, a key issue for the digital marketing industry. “This is the third time Google has delayed the phase-out,” Shakky explained, “but this time the focus is shifting to developing new methods for obtaining user consent, rather than completely eliminating third-party cookies.”
He broke down the differences between first-party and third-party cookies, making it clear that the phase-out would have far-reaching consequences for audience targeting, auto-bidding signals, and view-through conversions.
“Marketing activities that have long relied on third-party cookies will face significant disruption, and businesses need to start thinking now about how to adapt.”
Takumi (Shakky) Shakuya
(Digital Strategy Director at Ayudante)
Shakky then turned to potential solutions, emphasising the role of Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) such as enhanced conversions and server-side GTM. “These technologies offer a way to maintain the insights marketers need, while respecting user privacy. It’s not about finding a workaround—it's about rethinking the entire approach to data collection and measurement,” he said.
He also stressed that compliance with international regulations, including GDPR, CPRA, and APPI (The Japan Act on the Protection of Personal Information), is becoming a crucial part of modern marketing strategies. “Regulations like these aren’t just hurdles to clear; they’re shaping the future of how we interact with data, and it’s essential that businesses understand and adapt to these changes.”
In his final remarks, Shakky encouraged companies to prioritise privacy-centric strategies, such as focusing on first-party data and contextual advertising. He urged businesses to stay ahead of the curve by adopting strategies that will keep them agile in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
“Moving away from third-party cookies is not just a technical shift, but a mindset shift. We have to place user trust at the core of our marketing efforts. Transparency and giving users control over their data are key to building long-term relationships.”
Takumi (Shakky) Shakuya
(Digital Strategy Director at Ayudante)
Fireside Chat: Joshua, Shakky and Joy on Privacy, Personalisation, and Content Marketing
Shortly after Shakky’s speech, he, Joshua, and Joy led an interesting fireside chat discussing privacy, personalisation, and content marketing.
"If you store your personal information with a bank, it's called security and privacy. If you stay at a hotel and the hotel arranges a birthday surprise for you, that's personalisation."
Joshua shared his perspective on the difference between privacy and personalisation during his discussion with the audience.
"The type of advertising that truly resonates with consumers is the one that offers genuine content. It can be as simple as a short video, but it shouldn’t be a hard-sell."
Joshua stressed that effective marketing should respect consumer privacy while still providing tailored, meaningful content that adds value without being intrusive or overly commercial.
The fireside chat, featuring Joshua’s insightful commentary, was a great success as it sparked a dynamic conversation around the balance between privacy and personalisation. Joshua’s thoughtful perspective on the importance of respecting consumer privacy while delivering meaningful, personalised content resonated strongly with the audience. His emphasis on creating genuine, non-intrusive marketing strategies fostered an engaging dialogue, making the session both informative and impactful for attendees.
Conclusion: Networking and Future Collaborations
The networking party following the seminar allowed attendees to continue exchanging ideas with the speakers in a more relaxed setting. The lively discussions carried on, with many participants eager to explore the insights shared during the event. The positive energy and ongoing engagement highlighted the seminar's success, as it provided valuable connections and sparked meaningful conversations well beyond the scheduled programme.
This seminar marked the first successful collaboration between Ayudante and Sparkline, setting the stage for future joint initiatives. With the positive reception and valuable insights shared, we are committed to hosting more marketing events that drive awareness and innovation in the digital landscape. Together, we aim to lead the way in shaping a more privacy-conscious and data-driven future for the industry.
