The document summarizes the results of a poll conducted by Acxiom, an Australian data and analytics company, about the state of digital and analytics-driven marketing in Australia. Some key findings include that over 80% of respondents see digital marketing as strategically important, but only 65% analyze customer behavior across channels. Most marketers believe they understand customer behavior reasonably well but through means like transaction histories rather than more robust analytical tools. The document concludes by promoting Acxiom's ability to help companies improve customer engagement and marketing effectiveness through data-driven insights.

1. ad:tech “Have Your Say” Poll
The State of Digital and Analytics-Driven Marketing in Australia
April 2011

2. Today’s marketer must
navigate a world of
increasingly fragmented
and interactive media.
Digital innovation has
fundamentally shifted
power from brands to
consumers.
In March 2011, Acxiom, Australia’s leading provider of data and
analytically driven marketing services, launched “Have Your Say”.
This online poll examined the state of Digital and Analytics-Driven
Marketing in Australia.
Key Findings:
• 83% of respondents consider digital marketing of strategic
importance.
• Customer insights are influencing sales and marketing efforts,
but still a long way to go.
• While traditional marketing channels are still an important part
of the marketing mix, combined online channels dominate.
• Facebook is leading the social media engagement model, with
other Web 2.0 networks gaining momentum.
• Mobile marketing rarely utilised (less than 10%), despite
mobile internet reaching 50% penetration amongst online
Australians in 2010.
• An alarming 35% don’t analyse and compare customer
behaviour across all channels.
• Respondents identified that they used an average of 3 vehicles
to gain customer insights. Of this, on average 63% used
internal feedback mechanisms.

3. Organisations
recognise
the strategic
importance of
digital
How do you rate the strategic importance
of digital marketing in your organisation?
35%
VERY 48%
IMPORTANT CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT
15%
SOMEWHAT
IMPORTANT
2%
LITTLE
IMPORTANCE
It is reassuring to see that over 80% of marketers Research has shown that customers who purchase
appear to recognise the strategic importance of across multiple channels are 4-5 times more
digital marketing to their organisations. Recent profitable. If marketers aren’t tapping into all the data
advances in media technology enables businesses available to them, can they truly understand who and
to provide a superior brand experience, by delivering where those customers are? Furthermore, how can
individually tailored messages to just the people they they truly engage with their customers and maximise
want to reach at the precise moment of maximum their value?
impact.
What is concerning is that only a small percentage
report to utilise the power of these technologies to
understand where and how their customers behave
across all channels.

4. Moderate
confidence
in applying
customer insights
Very poor
Poor
Okay
Good
Very good
How do you rate your company’s ability to appl
y
customers insights to your sales and marketing efforts
?
Results indicate that although marketers have access to an array of
data about their customers, few appear to have the ability to analyse,
apply and act on those learnings.
To be successful in this marketplace the application of
multidimensional insights is of critical importance. Real customer
insight covers customer interests and attitudes, geodemographics,
online and offline activity.
A lack of analytical capability to extract the nuggets of insights from
within these data sets could prove to be a disadvantage in today’s
market. Fortunately, it is a disadvantage that can be rectified through
the application of easily accessible analytical tools.

5. Online channels
dominate the mix
when it comes to
customer engagement
100
Which channels do you currently use to connect and
engage with your customers?
80
60
40 SEARCH ENGINES
EMAIL MARKETING
TELEMARKETING
20
MOBILE / SMS
FACE TO FACE
ADVERTISING
DIRECT MAIL
FACEBOOK
LINKEDIN
WEBSITE
TWITTER
EVENTS
0 30% 35% 42% 48% 49% 53% 53% 60% 65% 70% 75% 88%
Traditional marketing channels such as advertising, Our findings are in line with the IAB Australia Online
direct mail and telemarketing remain an important Advertising Expenditure Report (OAER), that found
part of the mix when engaging with customers. Not Australian online advertising recorded its biggest
surprisingly, online channels dominate when it comes ever spend last quarter, peaking at $A627.75m,
to how marketers connect and engage with their a 22% increase. According to IAB Australia,
customers. Email, website and search engines lead the total online advertising expenditure for 2010 was
way with social media networks gaining momentum. $A2.265bn. IAB Australia believes that the market
is on track to reach $3bn by 2012.

6. There is scope
for development
when it comes
to cross-channel
customer analysis
and comparison
Do you analyse and compare how your
customers behave across all channels?
35%
NO
65%
35%
YE S
It is promising to see that approximately 65% of In today’s market, when the availability and quality of
marketers claim to analyse and compare customer analytical tools is better than ever, applying simple
behaviour across multiple channels. Further yet effective analytics processes need not be out of
information around what specific channels are reach.
being used, combinations and also what are being
neglected would be insightful.
Correspondingly, it is somewhat alarming to see
the remainder don’t appear to be gaining value from
cross-channel customer tracking and analysis.

7. Marketers believe
they understand
customer behaviour
across channels,
contradicting wider
research
How well do you understand how your
customers behave across channels?
We have a very good understanding 33%
We have some knowledge 48%
We have very little knowledge 14%
Don’t know 5%
Poll results indicate that most marketers believe To drive customer engagement, and optimise
they have a reasonable understanding of customer customer value, marketers would be wise to ensure
behaviour across channels, with only approximately their processes allow them to gain multi-dimensional
20% admitting little to no knowledge. This result is customer insight. In addition, the ability to act on that
in direct contradiction to wider research, and may information at the moment that customers interact
indicate a discrepancy between what respondents with their brand is critical.
believe to be effective understanding of customer
behaviour and industry standards.

8. Direct customer
feedback,
transaction and
contact history
favoured methods
of gaining
customer insight How do you currently gain insight
on your customers?
61% Transaction history
60% Customer contact history
64% Feedback from client facing teams
53% Industry market research
37% Commissioned research/focus groups
51% Monitoring of social media activity
6% Please advise
While the marketers polled used numerous It is encouraging to see that Australian marketers
methods to gain customer insight, internal feedback seem to understand the importance of surround
mechanisms appeared to be favourites (transaction sound marketing.
history, customer contact history, feedback from
client facing teams).
As expected many monitored and analysed social
media activity. This trend is indicative of an increasing
number of organisations participating in a range
of social media channels. The lower percentage of
commissioned research or focus groups may indicate
a decline in a comparatively expensive approach to
achieving the same end.

9. Call 1300 ACXIOM to discuss
how we can help improve
your customer engagement,
decrease your advertising wastage
and maintain your brand’s integrity.
About Acxiom
Acxiom is a data and analytically driven marketing services company. Our deep understanding of
data enables our clients to get a real view of their customers. We employ smart people who leverage
our global best practices with their local knowledge, which results in the design and delivery of
superior customer engagement solutions.
Acxiom delivers real value, in a timely and cost effective manner.
For more information, please visit:
Web : www.acxiom.com.au
Phone : 1300 ACXIOM
Twitter.com/AcxiomANZ