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Update on the UK Data (Use & Access) Act – and Why Clean Data Is More Crucial Than Ever

By |2025-06-18T11:26:49+00:00June 18th, 2025|

On 11 June 2025, UK Parliament completed the final round of “ping‑pong” over the Data (Use and Access) Bill in the House of Lords, paving the way for Royal Assent and its conversion into the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 This is a major milestone in updating the UK’s data protection landscape post‑Brexit—and it signals that smart, responsible data use is now firmly on the national agenda. What You Should Know The Act introduces several important refinements: A staggered roll‑out of updated UK GDPR provisions, including relaxed rules around cookies, Data Subject Access Requests (DSAR), automated decision‑making, and strengthened provisions for scientific research A formal category of “recognised legitimate interests”, clarifying when data can be used without a full [...]

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Royal Mail Ramps Up Its ‘Totally Mailed It’ Campaign

By |2025-06-11T13:13:25+00:00June 11th, 2025|

Royal Mail Marketreach’s Totally Mailed It campaign is back—and it’s bigger than ever. This time, they’ve brought marketing heavyweight Mark Ritson on board to champion direct mail’s proven role in high-performing, multichannel campaigns. Ritson joins a powerful line-up of industry advocates including Rory Sutherland (Ogilvy), Nathan Ansell (Waitrose), and Andrew Tindall (System1), all making the case for mail as a modern, measurable, and meaningful channel. The campaign itself is rolling out across multiple touchpoints, including eye-catching digital out-of-home (OOH) formats in London and Manchester, prime sites in Shoreditch, targeted social and display activity, podcast ads, and a bespoke direct mail pack sent directly to marketers. The message is clear: in an environment of tightening budgets and pressure to prove ROI, [...]

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The Data Breach Epidemic: A Wake-Up Call for Data Hygiene 

By |2025-06-02T14:59:09+00:00June 2nd, 2025|

Earlier this month, cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler uncovered an unsecured database containing over 184 million login credentials. This trove included usernames and passwords for major platforms such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, as well as sensitive data from bank accounts, health services, and government portals. Alarmingly, the database was unencrypted and publicly accessible, making it a "cybercriminal's dream".  Closer to home, you can’t fail to have missed M&S’ significant cyberattack, leading to the theft of customer data, including contact details and order histories. The breach disrupted online operations and is projected to cost the company approximately £300 million in lost operating profit. The attack was reportedly executed by the cybercriminal group Scattered Spider, exploiting vulnerabilities in third-party [...]

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A £66.6bn Vote of Confidence: Why Advertising Is the Engine of the UK Economy (and What Keeps It Running Smoothly)

By |2025-05-21T11:38:58+00:00May 21st, 2025|

The UK’s advertising and marketing industry has just delivered a resounding message of economic strength. According to Advertising Pays 2025, a landmark report from think tank Credos, British businesses invested a record £66.6 billion into the sector in 2024. A Critical Economic Contributor The sector contributed £109 billion in gross added value (GVA), representing 4% of the entire UK economy. It supported over 1.7 million jobs and reached into nearly two-thirds of all UK businesses. In fact, 3.5 million companies—across every industry—depended on media spend, data support, agency expertise, or marketing professionals to help them grow. For every £1 spent, medium to large businesses saw £4.11 in profit. Meanwhile, micro and small businesses saw a healthy ROI of £1.89. A [...]

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What’s Going on with the Data (Use and Access) Bill?

By |2025-05-14T11:02:06+00:00May 14th, 2025|

On 14th May 2025, the UK’s Data (Use and Access) Bill reached a critical stage in Parliament, following heated debate over its implications for AI, copyright, and how data is shared. While the headlines have focused on creative rights and artificial intelligence, there’s a bigger picture emerging — one that matters to anyone involved in managing, using, or maintaining quality data. Originally introduced in late 2024, the bill aims to improve how data is accessed and used across the public and private sectors. It supports initiatives like digital ID systems and encourages wider data sharing to unlock innovation. But as it moves between the House of Commons and the Lords, disagreement over specific provisions — particularly a new transparency requirement [...]

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Why the Campaign for Better Data Matters — and Why Data Hygiene is the Foundation

By |2025-05-07T09:21:22+00:00May 7th, 2025|

At The Software Bureau, we welcome the Market Research Society’s Campaign for Better Data. While it may sit adjacent to our core area of data processing, we believe the campaign’s central theme — building trust and credibility in data — is critical across every part of the marketing and insight ecosystem. With the UK Government positioning the nation as a leader in AI, the spotlight is rightly falling on the quality of the data feeding these tools. As recent studies have shown, there’s a growing gulf between organisations’ AI ambitions and the reality of their data capabilities. Misinformation, survey fraud, and outdated practices threaten to undermine not only AI, but also the credibility of every campaign or insight generated from [...]

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Why Homemover Trends Mean Marketers Must Get Smart With Address Data

By |2025-04-17T09:21:06+00:00April 17th, 2025|

The Shift from Moving to Improving New research reveals that the traditional pattern of moving up – or down – the property ladder is being replaced by a trend for staying put and adapting the current home to suit evolving needs. According to The Way We Live Now 2025 report from B&Q, flexible working and multigenerational living are driving a major rise in DIY. Nearly two-thirds of families have remodelled their homes to accommodate changing needs, and many now see their current property as their ‘forever home’. A significant number have carried out or are planning major transformations, such as extensions or reconfigurations, while others are staying put due to financial pressures like mortgage affordability or lack of deposit. Meanwhile, [...]

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23andMe Collapse Sparks Urgent Questions About Data Responsibility

By |2025-03-26T11:15:47+00:00March 26th, 2025|

Once a Silicon Valley darling, DNA testing company 23andMe has now gone into administration—leaving behind not just a troubled balance sheet, but a trove of highly sensitive personal data. Millions of customers entrusted the firm with their genetic information, family histories, and health predispositions. Now, the burning question: what happens to that data? The debate has ignited fears over data ownership, consent, and corporate accountability. In the UK, administrators are bound by GDPR, but the worry remains that valuable genetic data could be sold to settle debts, repurposed without consent, or exposed through weak security controls. This situation highlights a deeper issue: data stewardship isn’t just a technical obligation—it’s a moral one. Companies handling sensitive personal data, especially of the [...]

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Why accurate data matters for outdated demographics

By |2025-03-19T12:34:15+00:00March 19th, 2025|

According to a study by Adlook marketers and agencies are wasting budgets and raising privacy concerns by relying on outdated demographic targeting. The research reveals major flaws in traditional segmentation methods based on age, gender, income, and lifestyle, highlighting the need for more accurate, privacy-conscious solutions. The Flaws in Demographic Targeting Adlook surveyed 1,325 online consumers to determine if they identified with the socio-demographic segments assigned to them through third-party cookie data. Results showed a significant disconnect between targeting assumptions and actual audience composition. For example, only 18% of those targeted as “Women 18-24” fit that profile, while 43% were men and 35% were over 55. Similarly, 52% of the “Mums” segment were men, and 62% had no children. Even [...]

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Direct mail read rates rocket!

By |2025-03-11T16:20:54+00:00March 11th, 2025|

Direct mail continues to be one of the most effective marketing channels, with the latest JICMail data revealing that 77% of mail was read or looked at in Q4 2024—an all-time high since tracking began. At a time when digital channels are becoming more saturated and ad fraud is on the rise, mail has proven its ability to cut through the noise and drive meaningful consumer action. Unmatched Engagement and Response Rates JICMail’s data highlights the growing impact of mail across various industries, including grocery, charity, travel, finance, and healthcare. Business mail commanded the highest attention span, with an average of 191 seconds of engagement per item, while direct mail held attention for 133 seconds across a 28-day period. But [...]

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