A small but growing number of companies are adopting the Marketing Association’s Data Warranty Register (DWR) programme to assure customers their information is being treated with privacy and respect. 

Auckland-based B2B mailing list and marketing database company Martins has recently been awarded the DWR Trustmark. 

MD Brent Martin says it is an effective way to tell clients they can use his company’s data with confidence. He says his company, which now carries the trustmark on its website and emails, has secured new business as a direct consequence of being registered.

Launched earlier this year, the DWR provides assurance the carrier complies with legal and best practice data standards. 

Sylvia Devlin, the Marketing Association’s manager stakeholder relations, emphasises the DWR warrants the processes, not the data itself.

Martin says there is increasing public awareness and sensitivity to privacy issues. “It is important that the Government doesn't over-react and over-legislate, restricting the ability for responsible businesses to market and sell their products.  

“By taking a proactive step to self-regulate, we can hopefully ensure that companies use best practices but can still have a measure of freedom to go about their business.”  

He adds that the Marketing Association (MA) needs to guide its members and the public as to which companies are committed to best practice and those that are only interested in fast profits. 

“The trustmark should encourage companies to use DWR-warranted companies as opposed to those that would never be able to stand up to a rigorous audit.”

Martin says he is looking forward to more marketing of the DWR to the marketing database industry and business in general.

“If ‘dodgy’ operators are exposed, or there is ‘buyer beware’ naming by the MA, we will start to see some real benefits.”

 

For more information on the register and to apply for the DWR Trustmark go to: www.marketing.org. 

 

By Ruth Le Pla. Email [email protected]                                  Pic: Brent Martin