ignition uk & international No finishing line with GDPR in numbers Content is king when its good Are you GDPR-ready? The new legislation starts on 25 May but, experts advise, theres no finishing line when it comes to data protection. Indeed, some suggest that the real work still lies ahead. Most businesses we speak to are frantically implementing a re-consenting programme to safeguard existing databases, says Fraser Kirk, head of publicity at agency Volpa, which has been advising a wide range of clients. Guaranteed consent will continue to prove troublesome as we navigate the early days of GDPR. And as they need to re-consent every time a new use for data is proposed, the industry could witness slower uptake in future martech opportunities. Kirk says that for businesses that not only use, but also collect personal data, the lines between data processor and controller will be blurred and this will throw up a host of liability issues. Organisations employing multiple agencies will feel the pain of data mapping more acutely, he says and this will produce a set of consequences that will continue to be played out into the future. Marketings work is not yet done. Research from Adobe shows that branded content is a winner with consumers when its done well, and a turn-off when it isnt of consumers claim wellexecuted branded content inspires a purchase say they would share content with their friends would subscribe to a brands email database of Britons are more cautious of content they share following the rise of fake news say that content that is badly written, irrelevant or poorly designed would prevent them from making a purchase Bricks and mortar for the iGeneration According to experiential design agency Mood Media, the digital natives of the iGeneration thats Generation Z, or consumers aged 25 or younger are the most receptive to offline customer experiences. In a recent study, the agency found that nearly nine in 10 younger shoppers say they are more likely to choose a store with an enjoyable atmosphere over browsing online. They also tend to shop in bricksand-mortar stores more than millennials. Mood found that more than 80 per cent of Gen Z consumers would like to be able to receive unique, readily redeemable promotions straight to their mobile phones, while in store, and have a direct influence over music played in stores, too. Mood commented that there is a big opportunity to make bricks-and-mortar retail flourish by acknowledging the importance of Generation Z in the retail economy of the future harnessing this in the right way will be the challenge for brands. national br an ds, be yon d borde r s In March, eyebrows were raised when Channel 4s The Great British Bake Off announced a 5m tieup with Amazon. The TV deal is the US retailers biggest in the UK to date and Amazon says it will use the show to advertise its Echo speakers and Alexa virtual assistant. In 2017, Bake Off attracted the largest TV audience of 16- to 34-year-old viewers in the UK and that audience is a prime candidate for the technology. Of course, a tie-up between a well-loved nations favourite (however modern), and a more global brand outlook is far from unprecedented indeed, German baking ingredients maker Dr Oetker was a previous sponsor of the show. Elsewhere, developments at Carlsberg also show how brand-building can bridge nations. For 22 years, the Danish brewer sponsored the England football team. Its The Danish Way campaign also began as a UK-only marketing platform, but has been so successful that it is now being expanded globally. Carlsberg is also set to rejuvenate another proudly British brand the sleeping giant that is Tetley beer historically brewed in Leeds, Yorkshire. cim.co.uk/exchange