Read on PerformanceIN A global study has explored the role of data-driven marketing and advertising across 17 countries and has revealed more than 3,000 practitioners expressing confidence in the practice and its increasingly integral role as an enabler of “customer centricity”. The Global Review of Data-Driven Marketing and Advertising by GlobalDMA found more than three quarters (77.4 percent) of global panelists are confident in the practice of data-driven marketing and advertising and its prospects for future growth, with 92.2% saying they expect data to contribute even more substantially to their advertising and marketing efforts over the coming years. “The world’s data-driven economy is thriving, with global one-to-one marketing expenditure up over the past 12 months and every expectation of further growth over the next year” said Chris Combemale, executive director of the DMA. The study also found a majority of global panelists (52.7 percent) said that “a demand to deliver more relevant communications/be more ‘customer-centric’” is among the most important factors driving their data-related investments, outpacing all other relevant factors. The Global Review’s findings were compiled through an online survey of advertisers, marketers and other industry participants (deployed between July and September 2014 by marketing associations in participating markets) and was made possible through the support of MediaMath—respective specialists in data-driven marketing strategy and technology. “Driving a connected, seamless consumer experience is the holy grail of marketing,” said Rachel Meranus, SVP, Marketing at MediaMath.  “As the study shows, data is core to this and as more and more marketers invest in data-driven marketing, they will undoubtedly see a greater marketing ROI.” Globally, 63.2 percent of panelists reported that their spending on data-driven marketing and advertising grew over the last year—with another 10 percent (73.5 percent of the panel) expecting budgets will rise yet again over the next year.