If the king steals, why not John?
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has put most marketing teams and agencies to a serious ethical test. On one hand, the detailed digital marketing tools offered by Google. On the other hand, the user's right to choose trackers and cookies on websites.
At the marketing agency Kainoto, we checked how some of the biggest and most important companies are currently doing in complying with the GDPR. We performed the check with a freshly installed Firefox browser without any security add-ons that would prevent tracking.
Most failed the test.
GDPR ethics results in digital marketing
Mercator website
The classic archaic notification at the top of the screen shows the raw power of the largest Slovenian retailer. There is no choice but to agree. When the page is opened, 2 invasive trackers owned by the Google corporation are already installed, which monitor the user.
slovenia.info website
What is the point of visiting a country whose website takes up 80% of the screen with the request that you allow the use of personal data? Nothing good. At this moment, the marketing team of this country already installs 12 trackers for you! Allowing nothing is the same as allowing everything. Just a few less trackers.
(I really want to meet the analytics team behind this data mining machine.)
24ur.com website
Journalists, based on their normal judgments while reporting on the behavior of others, would be expected to behave ethically without fault. But of course this is not the case. The most powerful media house in Slovenia installs approximately 5 trackers and 3 cookies without the possibility of changing settings.
(This is probably also the reason why no one needs to comply with the GDPR regulation, since no one will report on such matters. It would be interesting to offer the media the option of managing the state budget.)
Government of the Republic of Slovenia website
The website of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia enables the setting of analytics cookies from the third-party provider PiWik, which are turned on by default. So the most important legislative body is acting against the GDPR, but at least it is being fairly consistent.
(Can the Information Commissioner fine the Prime Minister?)
Information Commissioner website
You would expect the case there to be flawless. Except it's not quite. Immediately upon your visit, you will be served a Matomo cookie.
Somewhere at the bottom of this subpage, you have the option to manage this cookie and remove the possibility of it being installed (opt-out!). The system works without passing on data to third parties.
The only flaw is that the opt-out cookie is already installed on the first visit. The user is not given the option of setting a cookie in advance, nor is this option easy to change.
Why is there unethical and illegal behavior in digital marketing of the biggest?
Spoiled digital marketing teams
Google spoils digital marketing teams with ease. You install the script and you can already click on filters and monitor beautifully drawn graphic representations of complex variables.
Google has made it possible for marketing and statistical ignoramuses to present themselves almost as collaborators in a scientific laboratory for consumer behavior.
If others are stealing in digital marketing…
The subject, which is otherwise mastered by Miha Mazzini and is completely established in the Slovenian geographical area, probably under the influence of the Balkan mechanisms of socially beneficial activity.
Even with the information commissioner, they don't follow the rules. If the king steals, why not John?
No alternative in digital marketing analytics?
On a technical level, there are many alternatives to cookies, but these alternatives are still not GDPR compliant. Therefore, it seems that there are no alternatives.
Except, of course, that they are: collecting anonymized data about the achievement of digital marketing goals. But for this we must first understand the goals of what we are researching in the first place. This is where the story usually gets complicated.
Digital marketing goals?
We, marketing researchers, used to put a lot of energy into research design. The methodology of data collection was subordinated to the goals. The goals were subordinated to market issues.
Therefore, it is necessary to find and monitor the indicators that generate successful digital marketing for our company.
The Holy Grail of Digital Marketing: Automation
Dealing with individual users allows for fragmented analysis and has almost made it possible to manage micro-moments. This was partly made possible by the technological giants with an extraordinary amount of acquired personal data. Some solid deep learning (artificial intelligence) systems have evolved from this.
The complete automation of the online experience - from the ad to the e-mail after the purchase, is the holy grail of digital marketing, based on the use of Google tools and invasive scripts and cookies. With the lowest costs, it enables the highest incomes to be achieved.
Where does such digital marketing lead?
In analytics 2025, when "GoogleTagCam" will arrive in the world of marketing.
And the ethics of digital marketing?
It is interesting how often in marketing we like to talk about the importance of the social orientation of companies. But perhaps social awareness passes when it touches our comfort zone and the question of who is best at creating graphic displays of consumer behavior in digital marketing.
Is it possible to conduct digital marketing differently?
You may have noticed that there are no cookies or trackers on this website. However, we follow the goals of our marketing and still do business successfully.
Analytics without Google Analytics is indeed possible.
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